Revised School Social Media Bill On Governor's Desk

Although Missouri Governor Jay Nixon is not indicating whether he'll sign a revised social networking bill this week, the bill is now on his desk awaiting his approval.

As previously reported by Patch, revisions to the Amy Hestir Student Protection Act had been making their way through the General Assembly all last week. Friday the revised bill finally made it's way through the house and senate and is now on Governor Jay Nixon's desk.

Last month, Patch reported on the controversy and confusion surrounding Senate Bill 54, also known as the Amy Hestir Student Protection Act. It is sponsored by former Ladue school board member and Missouri State Senator Jane Cunningham, R-Chesterfield, and designed to protect students. 

The Missouri State Teachers Association (MSTA) sued the state over ths social network portions of Senate Bill 54, claiming it was too vague. MSTA was awarded an injunction on August 26, just two days before the new law was to take effect.

At that time Governor Jay Nixon called for repeals to parts of SB 54 and Cunningham worked to revise and clarify the bill.

The revisions to the social media aspects of SB 54 took the form of Senate Bill 1.

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As of the start of this week, there is no clear indication as to what Nixon will do with the piece of legislation.

"The bill will be closely reviewed after it reaches the Governor's desk and before he acts on it," Nixon's Press Secretary Scott Holste tells Patch. However, there is no word on if or when Nixon will sign the revised bill into law.

If signed into law, SB 1 would replace the portions of SB 54 that teachers claimed were confusing.

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