The Alabama Senate passed House Bill 78 Thursday, legislation which would limit screen time for children in publicly funded early-learning centers across the state.
The bill, also known as the Healthy Early Development and Screen Time Act, would prohibit all screen time for children under 2 in child-care settings while also directing the Department of Early Childhood Education—alongside the Department of Human Resources and the State Board of Education—to set specific screen time limits for children ages 2 to 5.
Additionally, the Department of Early Childhood Education would be charged with publishing a set of guidelines “on healthy screen time practices for children from birth through five years of age” to its website.
The legislation—sponsored by former Early Childhood Education Secretary and now State Representative Jeana Ross, R-District 27—was previously endorsed by Governor Kay Ivey during her final state of the state address at the start of the 2026 legislative session.
“Technology has incredible benefits, but too much of anything can be detrimental,” Ivey said. “My first Early Childhood Education Secretary and now Representative Jeana Ross is putting forward a bill that will, with Senator Donnie Chesteen, limit screen time for children five and younger in publicly funded early-learning centers. House Bill 78 will help our youngest Alabamians during their key developmental days. Let’s get this bill passed so I can sign it into law.”
Carried on the Senate floor by State Senator Donnie Chesteen, R-Geneva, HB78 received bipartisan support and quickly passed the body with unanimous approval.
The bill will now go to Ivey’s desk, where it will likely be signed into law given the governor’s previous endorsement.
