1. Introduction
The 136th General Assembly is actively advancing a series of tech-governance bills aimed at digital safety and parental oversight. These proposals shift the regulatory focus toward app store accountability, hardware-level age verification, and public health warnings for social media usage.
2. Bill Status Entry
H.B. No. 226 — App Store Accountability Act
Status: As Introduced
Last Action: Introduced by Representative M. Miller; initial analysis by the Legislative Service Commission (LSC).
Next Step: Assignment to a House committee for initial sponsor testimony and hearings.
Source: Ohio General Assembly - HB 226
Details: Requires app stores to verify user ages and obtain verifiable parental consent for users under 16. Includes a "Parental Dashboard" mandate and restricts data retention.
Middle-Class Impact: Acts as a financial safeguard against unauthorized in-app purchases and provides data transparency for parents on a budget.
H.B. No. 302 — Age Verification and Parental Consent Act
Status: As Introduced
Last Action: Introduced by Representatives Workman and Plummer.
Next Step: Referral to a House committee for testimony and technical review of "Age Signal" requirements.
Source: Ohio General Assembly - HB 302
Details: Mandates that operating systems (iOS/Android) and hardware (consoles/VR) share a real-time "age signal" with apps. Requires browsers to provide easily accessible "obscene material" filters.
Middle-Class Impact: Provides built-in, no-cost safety tools at the device level, reducing the need for families to pay for third-party monitoring subscriptions.
H.B. No. 808 — Social Media Warning Labels
Status: As Introduced
Last Action: Introduced by Representatives Cockley and Salvo with bipartisan cosponsorship.
Next Step: Referral to a House committee, likely focusing on Behavioral Health or Technology.
Source: Ohio General Assembly - HB 808
Details: Requires platforms with "addictive feeds" (infinite scroll/autoplay) to display health warnings regarding anxiety and sleep disruption, designed by the Director of Behavioral Health.
Middle-Class Impact: Functions as a public health tool similar to nutrition labels, assisting busy parents in justifying screen-time limits and increasing digital literacy.
3. Closing Thoughts
Monitoring these bills as they move into the committee process will provide critical insight into how Ohio plans to regulate digital platforms. Stay tuned for updates as public testimony begins in the coming weeks.
The Ledger is Closed,
LegisLedger | Civic Intelligence. Clearly Delivered.
Legal Disclosures & Compliance Physical Address: LegisLedger Media LLC | [PO Box 284] | [Peebles, Ohio 45660]
Copyright: © 2026 LegisLedger. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted without express written permission.
DMCA Notice: To report intellectual property infringement, please contact our designated agent at [[email protected]].
Privacy & Transparency You are receiving this because you opted in at [thelegisledger.org].
We value your data privacy; review our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
Keep the LegisLedger independent. We accept no lobbyist or corporate funding. If you value non-partisan data, consider supporting our mission: buymeacoffee.com/TheLegisLedger