Alabama Lawmaker Proposes Limits on Screen Time for Young Children
An Alabama lawmaker has introduced legislation aimed at curbing screen time for young children in early learning environments across the state.
House Bill 78, pre-filed for the 2026 legislative session by Rep. Jeana Ross, R-Guntersville, would require licensed child care facilities, public kindergarten classrooms, and certain Pre-K programs to follow screen time guidelines developed by the Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education Research and Evaluation team. The bill also mandates training for educators and staff on appropriate screen use in early childhood settings.
Ross, a former Alabama Secretary of Early Childhood Education, said the proposal reflects a shift in understanding driven by research on child development.
“In the early 2000s, I was writing grants because I wanted every child to have an iPad,” Ross said in a recent interview. “At the time, it seemed innovative and practical. We now know that while technology can be helpful for older students, it is not appropriate for very young children.”
Research has increasingly raised concerns about early screen exposure. An August report from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center found that children under age three should have little to no screen time, warning that excessive exposure can delay social development.
Ross emphasized that the bill is intended to educate, not criticize, parents and caregivers.
“This is not about shaming,” she said. “It’s about sharing information people may not have had, so they can make informed decisions about how and when screens are used.”
The legislation builds on existing Alabama regulations. Current administrative rules prohibit screen use for children under two and limit screen time for older children in licensed facilities to 30 minutes per day in half-day programs and one hour per day in full-day programs. However, not all child care centers in the state are licensed. Of the 2,458 child care facilities in Alabama, about 78 percent are licensed by the Department of Human Resources and must renew their licenses every two years.
Ross’ bill would extend screen time limits by establishing weekly caps for children ages two through four and banning individual screen use in those age groups. It also requires local school boards to adopt formal policies governing screen use in kindergarten classrooms.
The guidelines would be developed jointly by the Department of Early Childhood Education, the Department of Human Resources, and the Alabama State Department of Education, and would apply statewide once finalized. They must address the importance of reading, play, physical activity, and caregiver-child interaction, as well as the risks of excessive screen exposure and strategies for creating screen-free routines at home.
The bill also calls for annual training for teachers and relevant staff, focusing on appropriate screen use, high-quality early childhood programming, and alternatives to digital devices.
Alabama State Superintendent of Education Eric Mackey said the proposal is likely to receive significant attention during the upcoming legislative session, which begins Jan. 13.
“There’s a lot of research showing that students need instructional time with teachers, not screens,” Mackey said following a December meeting of the State Board of Education. “We already have limits in our four-year-old Pre-K program. It makes sense to talk about extending those limits to kindergarten.”
Mackey added that the governor has shown interest in the issue and discussions are already underway.
“I expect the Legislature will spend a good deal of time on this,” he said. “Some form of screen time limitation is likely by the end of the spring session.”
Ross said collaboration across agencies and with families is central to the bill’s intent.
“When people are included in shaping policy, you end up with something stronger and more balanced,” she said. “That matters when we are talking about children at the most important stage of their development.”
