On March 18, 2026, Governor Sherrill visited the Lenape Regional High School District’s Cherokee High School to highlight her Kids’ Online Safety agenda. The governor was joined by, among other dignitaries, Assemblywoman Andrea Katz (Legislative District 8), a prime sponsor of multiple pieces of legislation designed to promote youth mental health and online safety.
The event spotlighted several relevant state initiatives:
- Establishment of the Office of Youth Online Mental Health Safety and Awareness in the Department of Health, directing all state agencies with jurisdiction over issues about children and their interaction with technology platforms to prioritize children’s mental health outcomes (Executive Order 6). The Governor’s proposed FY2027 budget includes $125,000 to support the new Office.
- $500,000 in the governor’s proposed FY2027 budget to fund the State’s first-ever Social Media Research Center
- Pending legislation sponsored by Assemblywoman Katz, Assemblywoman Sweeney, Assemblywoman Peterpaul, Senator Mukherji, and Senator Greenstein: the “New Jersey Kids Code Act” (A-4015 / S-3413), which would adopt the Age-Appropriate Design Code for NJ and require certain online services to implement certain measures concerning minors’ use of online services.
The New Jersey School Boards Association continues to advocate for policies that counter the effects of social media and internet usage on student mental and behavioral health and looks forward to working with the Sherrill Administration and the State Legislature on these important initiatives.
