HB 78

HB78 ENROLLED
1 HB78
2 RBQ8DNM-3
3 By Representatives Ross, DuBose, Lamb, Mooney, Rehm, Kirkland,
4 Shaver, Fidler, Givens, Reynolds, Faulkner, Kiel, Sells,
5 Stadthagen, Baker, Collins, Hulsey, Holk-Jones, Colvin
6 RFD: Education Policy
7 First Read: 13-Jan-26
8 PFD: 02-Dec-25
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1 Enrolled, An Act,
2
3
4Relating to early childhood education; to add Article
5 4, commencing with Section 26-24-60, to Chapter 24, Title 26,
6 and Sections 16-40-15 and 38-7-7.1 to the Code of Alabama
7 1975; to require the Department of Early Childhood Education,
8 in collaboration with the State Department of Human Resources
9 (DHR) and the State Department of Education, to develop
10 standards and relevant annual training requirements for
11 appropriate screen time use in early childhood education
12 settings; to require each state agency to implement the
13 guidelines and training requirements for the early childhood
14 education programs under their jurisdiction; to condition
15 licensing of certain child-care facilities on compliance with
16 screen time guidelines; and to authorize the Department of
17 Early Childhood Education, DHR, and the State Board of
18 Education to adopt rules.
19 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
20Section 1. (a) This act shall be known and may be cited
21 as the Healthy Early Development and Screen Time Act.
22(b) The Legislature finds and declares all of the
23 following:
24(1) Birth through five years of age is a child's most
25 critical period of rapid brain development, language
26 acquisition, and social-emotional growth.
27(2) Published peer-reviewed research demonstrates that
28 excessive screen exposure in children under three years of age
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29 is associated with delayed communication skills, impaired
30 problem-solving, and reduced social interaction.
31(3) National and international pediatric authorities
32 including, but not limited to, the American Academy of
33 Pediatrics, recommend little to no screen time for children
34 under two years of age and no more than one hour per day of
35 high-quality, adult-supervised screen use for children who are
36 two through five years of age.
37(4) High-quality educational media used interactively
38 with adult participation may provide some benefit, but should
39 not displace physical activity, caregiver interaction, or
40 sleep time.
41(5) It is the intent of this state to provide parents,
42 caregivers, and educators with research-based guidelines and
43 standards regarding screen time to safeguard children's
44 healthy development.
45Section 2. A new Article 4, commencing with Section
46 26-24-60, is added to Chapter 24 of Title 26, Code of Alabama
47 1975, to read as follows:
48Article 4
49§26-24-60
50For the purposes of this article, the following terms
51 have the following meanings:
52(1) ADULT-SUPERVISED USE. Media engagement in which a
53 parent, guardian, or caregiver is actively present and guiding
54 and discussing the media content.
55(2) DEPARTMENT. The Department of Early Childhood
56 Education.
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57(3) EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROGRAM. a. All of the
58 following:
591. A licensed child-care facility that serves children
60 five years of age and younger.
612. Prekindergarten programs operating under Article 2.
623. Public kindergarten programs.
63b. In addition to regular school day programs, the term
64 includes any after-school, extended day, or summer program
65 provided by a facility or program described in paragraph a.
66(4) HIGH-QUALITY PROGRAMMING. Screen-based media
67 programs and platforms used in early childhood education
68 programs.
69(5) LICENSED CHILD-CARE FACILITY. All of the following:
70a. A day care center as defined in Section 38-7-2.
71b. A day care home as defined in Section 38-7-2.
72c. A group day care home as defined in Section 38-7-2.
73d. A night care facility as defined in Section 38-7-2.
74(6) SCREEN-BASED MEDIA. Visual media devices including,
75 but not limited to, televisions, computers, smart phones, and
76 tablets.
77(7) SCREEN TIME. Time spent using screen-based media.
78 The term does not include live, interactive video
79 communication, such as a video call with a child's family.
80§26-24-61
81(a) The department, in collaboration with the State
82 Department of Human Resources and the State Department of
83 Education, shall develop research-based guidelines on healthy
84 screen time practices for children from birth through five
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85 years of age. The guidelines shall be based on current
86 evidence-based research and practices.
87(b) The guidelines shall emphasize all of the
88 following:
89(1) The importance of play, reading, physical activity,
90 and caregiver-child interaction.
91(2) The risks of excessive screen time on children,
92 including developmental delays and behavioral impacts.
93(3) Strategies for setting screen-time-free routines in
94 the home.
95(c) The department shall publish the guidelines on the
96 department website at no cost to the public.
97§26-24-62
98(a) Screen-based media in early childhood education
99 programs:
100(1) May not be unreasonably used as a substitute for
101 teacher-led instruction, reading, hands-on learning, or
102 outdoor play;
103(2) Must meet the department's screen time standards as
104 provided in Section 26-24-63; and
105(3) Must be actively supervised by staff.
106(b) Background television and passive screen time is
107 prohibited in early childhood education programs.
108(c) This article shall not apply to any of the
109 following:
110(1) The screen time of any student acting pursuant to
111 the student's Individualized Education Program, Section 504
112 plan, or Individualized Health Plan.
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113(2) Screen time by any kindergarten student necessary
114 to complete required diagnostic tests and assessments.
115(3) Screen time by any student enrolled in classes
116 offered as part of a virtual school or virtual program
117 approved by a local board of education.
118(d) The department, the State Department of Human
119 Resources, and the State Board of Education may adopt rules to
120 implement and administer this article.
121§26-24-63
122The department, in collaboration with the State
123 Department of Human Resources and the State Department of
124 Education, shall develop screen time standards for early
125 childhood education programs which are based on current
126 evidence-based research and practices. The standards shall
127 include the following:
128(1) Age-appropriate screen time limits, provided that
129 no screen time may be allowed for students under two years of
130 age.
131(2) Guidelines for determining what constitutes
132 high-quality programming. In establishing the guidelines, all
133 of the following factors must be considered:
134a. The target audience of the program and whether the
135 program is age-appropriate in an early childhood education
136 setting.
137b. The pacing of the program, with a preference toward
138 slow-paced programming.
139c. Whether the programming is free of violence.
140d. Whether the programming is free of advertisement
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141 that the department determines is harmful to children.
142(3) Best practices for screen time in early childhood
143 education programs.
144§26-24-64
145(a) The department, in collaboration with the State
146 Department of Human Resources and the State Department of
147 Education, shall develop training on screen time standards
148 provided in Section 26-24-63 and alternatives to screen time.
149 The training may be tailored to each type of early childhood
150 education program.
151(b) Each early childhood education program teacher and
152 staff member who closely supervises children shall complete
153 the training annually.
154§26-24-65
155(a) Compliance with this article shall be monitored and
156 enforced by the following entities:
157(1) For child-care facilities licensed by the State
158 Department of Human Resources, by the State Department of
159 Human Resources pursuant to Section 38-7-7.1.
160(2) For prekindergarten programs operating under
161 Article 2, by the department pursuant to subsection (b).
162(3) For public kindergarten, by the local school
163 principal pursuant to Section 16-40-15.
164(b)(1) In addition to the standards established
165 pursuant to Article 2, each prekindergarten operating under
166 Article 2 shall implement and abide by a screen time policy
167 that meets the requirements of this article and reflects the
168 screen time standards established pursuant to Section
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169 26-24-63.
170(2) The secretary of the department shall monitor
171 prekindergarten compliance with this article as he or she
172 deems necessary, provided that the secretary must:
173a. Include a screen time policy in the Office of School
174 Readiness Program Guidelines;
175b. Require prekindergarten teachers to annually
176 complete the training required by Section 26-24-64; and
177c. In the event that a prekindergarten is not in
178 compliance with this section, prioritize additional training
179 with relevant staff members. If noncompliance continues, the
180 department may establish or enforce a corrective action plan.
181Section 3. Section 16-40-15 is added to the Code of
182 Alabama 1975, to read as follows:
183§16-40-15
184No later than the 2027-2028 school year, each local
185 board of education shall adopt a screen time policy that
186 provides guidance on the appropriate use of screen-based media
187 in kindergarten classrooms. The policy shall:
188(1) Meet the requirements of Article 4, Chapter 24 of
189 Title 26, with respect to kindergarten classrooms;
190(2) Require kindergarten teachers to annually complete
191 the screen time training created pursuant to Section 26-24-63;
192 and
193(3) If a kindergarten teacher is not in compliance with
194 this section, require the local school principal to first
195 provide additional training for the noncompliant teacher.
196 Continued noncompliance shall be considered a violation of the
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197 Alabama Educator Code of Ethics, and the principal may proceed
198 with disciplinary action as adopted by the State Department of
199 Education, including corrective action, with approval from the
200 local superintendent of education.
201Section 4. Section 38-7-7.1 is added to the Code of
202 Alabama 1975, to read as follows:
203§38-7-7.1
204(a) In addition to the standards for licensing
205 established pursuant to Section 38-7-7, each day care center,
206 day care home, group day care home, and night care facility
207 shall implement and abide by a screen time policy that meets
208 the requirements of Article 4, Chapter 24 of Title 26, as a
209 condition for licensing under this chapter.
210(b) The department shall incorporate a screen time
211 policy that meets the requirements of Article 4, Chapter 24 of
212 Title 26, in the department's minimum standards for licensing
213 and approving day care centers, day care homes, group day care
214 homes, and night care facilities, as defined by this chapter,
215 and monitor compliance with this section as the department
216 deems necessary, provided that the department must:
217(1) Review compliance during any inspection under
218 Section 38-7-11;
219(2) Require staff who supervise children to undergo
220 training established pursuant to Section 26-24-64; and
221(3) If a child-care facility listed in subsection (b)
222 is not in compliance with this section, prioritize additional
223 training through the Department of Early Childhood Education
224 with the noncompliant staff members. If noncompliance
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225 continues, the department may adopt or enforce a corrective
226 action plan.
227Section 5. This act shall become effective on January
228 1, 2027.
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235________________________________________________
236Speaker of the House of Representatives
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240________________________________________________
241President and Presiding Officer of the Senate
242
243
244House of Representatives
245
246I hereby certify that the within Act originated in and
247 was passed by the House 27-Jan-26.
248
249John Treadwell
250Clerk
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256 Senate  26-Feb-26  Passed
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