Madison – Today, Representative Lindee Brill (R-Sheboygan Falls) was announced as Chair of the
Speaker’s Task Force on Protecting Kids, one of four Speaker’s Task Forces charged with addressing various policy areas across the State of Wisconsin. The Speaker’s Task Force on Protecting Kids will focus on how we prepare parents and protect kids in a digital age with rapidly changing technology with the world at their fingertips through the internet and social media. As families try to navigate the online landscape that their children can access at the click of a button, Task Force members will examine the effects of social media on youth development, evaluate the benefits and drawbacks to children having unlimited, unsupervised access to the internet and social media, and assess the risks and dangers of children being online anywhere and anytime. Rep. Brill made the following statement at the press conference announcing the task forces:
“As we face a rising youth mental health crisis in our state, we recognize that social media and unrestricted access to the internet has opened a deep chasm in our family structure, and filled it with mindless or even dangerous content.
“As a state, our most profound responsibility is to our posterity, and with this task force, we take an important step in meeting that responsibility with the resolve, dedication, compassion, and urgency it demands. To Build a Stronger Wisconsin, we need to build a strong foundation for our children. To all the parents who have struggled with this, those struggling now, and to the parents feeling in the dark on social media, we see you, we hear you, we are working for you.”
Beginning at the end of September, the Task Force on Protecting Kids will be holding public hearings in Madison and across the state: hearing testimony from parents, educators, doctors, mental health professionals, and advocacy groups and developing policy recommendations to be passed into law by the legislature.
The representative’s office is located in Room 409 North at the Wisconsin State Capitol. She may be reached at (608) 237-9127 or by email at Rep.Brill@legis.wisconsin.gov.
Representative Lindee Brill (R-Sheboygan Falls) serves the 27th Assembly District which includes portions of Sheboygan, Fond du Lac, Calumet, and Manitowoc counties.
