CHARLESTON, WV (LOOTPRESS) – On Tuesday, the House Judiciary Committee advanced a bill that would ban the download and use of the popular social media app, TikTok, from state-issued devices.
Senate Bill 426, introduced by Senate President Craig Blair (R-Berkeley), and Senator Mike Woelfel (D-Cabell) at the request of Governor Justice, would require the state Chief Information Security Officer to develop standards regarding high-risk technology platforms or products, across all levels of government in the state.
The ban would devices in local governments, K-12 schools, higher education, and state entities that would be required to enforce the standards.
During the committee meeting, counsel stated that at least 25 states have targeted these issues since 2020. The bans have been bi-partisan, as is Senate Bill 426.
According to the bill, every level of government “must remove, restrict, and ban those high-risk technology platforms or products that pose a cybersecurity threat from all government systems, services, networks, devices, or locations.”
An amendment was proposed to include a specific mention of TikTok, the amendment was approved on a voice vote.
The House Judiciary Committee advanced the bill on a voice vote with the recommendation that it be reported to the full Senate with the recommendation that it do pass.
