Summary#

AR-140, “Relative to Children’s Get Offline and Get Outdoors Month,” is an Assembly resolution; it does not amend an existing Act or create a new operating program. The supplied status lists it as enacted and signed. Its stated goal is to draw attention to children’s offline and outdoor play and the effects of screen time.

• The Assembly proclaims August 2026 as Children’s Get Offline and Get Outdoors Month.
• The resolution encourages screen-free play, recognizes the importance of awareness about social media and excessive screen time, and supports related efforts at state, national, and global levels.
• It highlights the need for continued guardrails on social media and technology for children, but does not create those guardrails or require anyone to act.

What it means for you#

• Children and families: The resolution does not require children to spend less time on screens or require families to change their routines.
• Schools, businesses, and technology companies: It creates no new duties, restrictions, or penalties for them.
• The public: August 2026 is recognized by the Assembly as a month to draw attention to the topic. The resolution does not require events or other public activities.
• Assembly staff: The Chief Clerk must send copies of the resolution to its author for distribution. The text does not specify who else receives copies.

Money#

No cost estimate or funding is provided in the available material.

• The resolution does not appropriate money or set up a fund, benefit, fee, or fine.
• It requires the Chief Clerk to transmit copies to the author, but gives no estimate of the administrative cost.

What is unclear#

• The resolution does not define “excessive screen time” or “guardrails.”
• It does not specify any activities, guidance, or measures to carry out the proclaimed month.
• It does not identify who would lead or fund any “complementary efforts” it supports.
• It does not say how the Assembly’s stated goals would be assessed.

Case for#

• A possible argument for the resolution is that it gives public attention to offline and outdoor play, which the resolution describes as important to children’s development and health.
• Its nonbinding form lets the Assembly express support for those goals without imposing new rules on families, schools, or companies.
• The resolution supports related efforts at several levels of government without claiming that this resolution itself will produce specific results.

Case against#

• The resolution does not provide a practical plan, funding, or responsible lead for turning its stated goals into action.
• Calling for continued guardrails may suggest a policy response, but the resolution creates no rules or protections.
• A possible trade-off is that the proclamation raises awareness without changing the conditions it identifies, such as children’s screen use or access to places to play.