Click play to listen to this article.

Alabama lawmakers are considering new limits on screen use for the state’s youngest learners.

The bill known as the Healthy Early Development and Screen Time Act would establish research-based screen-time guidelines for children from birth to age five in publicly-funded child care, pre-K, and kindergarten classrooms. Supporters said the goal is not to ban technology but to make sure it is used intentionally and in ways to support healthy brain development during a critical stage of childhood.

Image

Tracye Strichik, executive director of VOICES for Alabama’s Children, said the bill reflects what decades of research show about how young children learn best.

"We do not need our infants and our toddlers exposed to screen time," Strichik contended. "Particularly when we know that science tells us that young brains grow best by interacting, playing, talking, making eye contact and having human interactions with adults and other children."

The bill has been pre-filed by Representative Jeana Ross, R-Guntersville, for the 2026 legislative session and is endorsed by VOICES for Alabama’s Children. It would require the Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education to create age-appropriate guidelines to prioritize hands-on learning, social interaction and clear limits on screen use.

The standards would apply across licensed child care centers, state-funded pre-K programs, and public kindergarten classrooms. Supporters said statewide alignment is especially important for families whose children move between multiple early learning settings. Strichik added the long-term goal is to create early learning environments which center connection and development while giving teachers guidance on how to use technology appropriately.

"I hope in five years, what we’ll see is classrooms that are filled with conversation and movement and play and connection," Strichik emphasized. "And teachers are empowered to use technology wisely based on what we know about brain development."

Under the proposal, the guidelines would be publicly available at no cost to families and educators would receive required training developed in collaboration with the Alabama Department of Human Resources and the State Department of Education.