AB 2662

Bill Subjects

Abstract

Existing law establishes in the Governor's Office the Office of Planning and Research to serve the Governor and his or her Cabinet as staff for long-range planning and research, and to constitute the comprehensive state planning agency. Existing law requires the office to accept and allocate or expend grants and gifts from any source, public or private, for the purpose of state planning and to undertake other planning and coordinating activities that will implement the policy and intent of the Legislature, as specified. This bill would require the Office of Planning and Research to enter into appropriate arrangements with relevant state agencies to establish an independent panel of experts to review, synthesize, and report on research, theory, and applications in the social, behavioral, and biological sciences and to establish research priorities regarding the positive and negative roles and impacts of electronic media use, and exposure to its content and the medium on youth, as specified. The bill would require the office, during the first year in which the panel is implementing these duties, to provide for the conduct of initial pilot projects to supplement and inform the panel in its work. The bill would require the office to develop and implement a grant program that funds additional research determined to be necessary by the panel concerning the role and impact of electronic media in the cognitive, physical, and social-emotional development of children and adolescents. The bill would require the panel, on or before December 31, 2022, to prepare and submit a report or reports to the Legislature that, among other things, summarizes the empirical evidence and other results produced by the research conducted pursuant to these provisions, and makes recommendations on how scientific evidence and knowledge may be used to improve the healthy developmental and learning capacities of children and adolescents. Contingent upon receipt by the office of $5,000,000 in contributions for the purpose of implementing these provisions from philanthropic organizations, companies, or private donors, the bill would continuously appropriate that amount to the office for the purpose of implementing these provisions from July 1, 2019, to June 30, 2022, inclusive.