Governor Ivey Backs Bill On Screen Time For Early Education
Legislation co-sponsored by Tuscaloosa Rep. Bill Lamb (R-63), has gained the support of Governor Ivey. House Bill 78, "... would require the Department of Early Childhood Education to develop guidelines for the appropriate use of screen time in child-care facilities, prekindergarten, and kindergarten."
“As technology penetrates ever deeper into the lives of our youngest children, their exposure to electronic devices, particularly smart phones and tablets, risks harming critical social and cognitive development,” Ivey was quoted as saying in a press release. “The Healthy Early Development and Screen Time Act will install guardrails to protect our youngest children from these negative effects by limiting their screen access during early childhood education. It is a natural follow up to a similar measure we passed last year banning cell phone use in elementary and secondary school classrooms. Teachers and parents alike are already praising the FOCUS Act for boosting students’ academic performance and personal interaction by eliminating cell phone distractions to learning.”
Rep. Lamb told Tuscaloosa Thread in December when the bill was pre-filed, he is backing the legislation because it is a growing problem. "We've had discussions with the mental health department, and they say that is something that needs to be worked on the most. Children are so attached to their computer, cell phone or iPad that they are not interacting with other children, getting exercise by playing outside and are damaging their eyes."
Under this legislation, the Department of Early Childhood Education would be required to create a training program on the appropriate use of child screentime to educate teachers and supervising staff members.
The bill was passed by committee to the full house for floor debate last Thursday without opposition. If passed by both houses and signed by the governor, the Healthy Early Development and Screen Time Act would become effective January 1, 2027.
Read More: New Bill Aims To Limit Younger Kids’ Screen Time In Schools
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