Bill > HB78

This bill, known as the Healthy Early Development and Screen Time Act, establishes guidelines for limited screen time for children from birth to five years old in licensed child-care facilities, preschools, and public kindergartens. It defines "adult-supervised use" as when a caregiver is actively present and guiding media engagement, and "screen-based media" as devices like televisions, computers, smartphones, and tablets, excluding live, interactive video calls with family. The Department of Early Childhood Education, in collaboration with the Departments of Human Resources and Education, will develop research-based guidelines and standards emphasizing play, reading, physical activity, and caregiver interaction, while highlighting the risks of excessive screen time. These guidelines will prohibit background television and passive screen time, and will not apply to children with specific educational plans or those in approved virtual school programs. Crucially, no screen time will be allowed for children under two years old, and age-appropriate limits will be set for older children, with a focus on high-quality, age-appropriate, and advertisement-free programming. Teachers and staff in these early childhood education programs will be required to complete annual training on these screen time standards and alternatives. The Department of Human Resources will monitor licensed child-care facilities, while the Department of Early Childhood Education will oversee prekindergarten programs, and local school principals will be responsible for public kindergartens, with enforcement mechanisms including additional training and corrective action plans for non-compliance.

Education

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