SACRAMENTO –Today, Assemblyman Josh Hoover (R-Folsom) announced that his bill package to promote student mental health awareness is moving forward with strong bipartisan support. These bills give schools the opportunity to implement various mental wellness practices to ensure student academic success, safety, and wellbeing.
“In today’s digital landscape, data overwhelmingly shows that screen time has a direct impact on our kids’ mental health. Smartphones and social media use have been shown to create distractions, contribute to depression and anxiety, increase cyberbullying, and lead to lower academic outcomes,” Assemblyman Hoover said. “It’s become clear that we need to provide students with distraction free learning environments and create more outdoor learning opportunities to support their mental health and help them improve social connection with their peers.”
The Youth Mental Wellness Bill Package includes the following:
AB 2071: Requires middle and high schools in California to incorporate the topic of “digital wellness” into existing health instruction, limiting harms by encouraging students to use technology in ways that support physical health, mental health, social connections, and overall quality of life.
AB 1644: Implements a full bell-to-bell limit on smartphones during the school day for K-8 students, and encourages school districts to implement the same policy in high schools.
AB 1709: Establishes a minimum age of 16 years old to create or maintain an account on addictive social media platforms.
AB 2158: Establishes the Outdoor Learning Act, which encourages school districts to integrate more opportunities for outdoor learning and field trips into daily instruction.
ACR 156: Named March 21, 2026 as the “National Day of Play” to encourage people of all ages to engage in simple, community-focused activities that promote social connection.
With nearly 94% of California kids experiencing mental health challenges, these bills tackle issues presented by digital technology and encourage outdoor activities that develop true social connections. It’s critical that students are prepared to navigate a world of digital technology, while staying engaged and connected to their peers.
Josh Hoover represents Assembly District 7, which includes the cities of Citrus Heights, Folsom, and Rancho Cordova and the unincorporated communities of Carmichael, Fair Oaks, FoothillFarms, Gold River, Mather, McClellan Park, North Highlands, Orangevale, and Rosemont.
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