# Alabama HB78: Early childhood education; guidelines for limited screen time for children in certain licensed child-care facilities, certain preschools, and public kindergarten established, annual training requirement for teachers and certain staff members established, Department of Early Childhood Education, Department of Human Resources, and State Board of Education authorized to implement and enforce limited screen time requirements Alabama HB78, Early childhood education; guidelines for limited screen time for children in certain licensed child-care facilities, certain preschools, and public kindergarten established, annual training requirement for teachers and certain staff members established, Department of Early Childhood Education, Department of Human Resources, and State Board of Education authorized to implement and enforce limited screen time requirements, is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Jeana Ross (Republican); status enacted, last action 2026-03-04 (Enacted) (as of 2026-10-19). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AL-HB78-2026rs - As of: 2026-10-19 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Alabama HB78 - State: Alabama - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Early childhood education; guidelines for limited screen time for children in certain licensed child-care facilities, certain preschools, and public kindergarten established, annual training requirement for teachers and certain staff members established, Department of Early Childhood Education, Department of Human Resources, and State Board of Education authorized to implement and enforce limited screen time requirements - Status: enacted - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2026-01-13 - Last action: 2026-03-04, Enacted - Sponsor: Jeana Ross (Republican) - Cosponsors: 18 - Subjects: Children - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 5 (368 yes, 3 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 3 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Free screen-time guidance for Alabama families: benefit, low. Beginning January 1, 2027, Alabama agencies must develop research-based screen-time guidance for children from birth through age five. The Department of Early Childhood Education must publish it free on its website. It covers play, reading, physical activity, caregiver-child interaction, and the ri… - New screen-time limits for young children: benefit, low. Beginning January 1, 2027, Alabama sets screen-time standards for licensed child care serving children five and younger, prekindergarten, and public kindergarten. Related after-school, extended-day, and summer programs are also covered. Screen time is banned for children under two; older children m… - Screen-time rules for providers and teachers: cost, low. Beginning January 1, 2027, covered teachers and staff who closely supervise children must complete screen-time training every year. State agencies must develop training on screen standards and alternatives; training can differ by program type. Day care centers, day care homes, group day care homes,… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Jeana Ross (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Alan Baker (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Arnold Mooney (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Bill Lamb (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Chris Sells (Republican), House - Cosponsor: David Faulkner (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Donna Givens (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Frances Holk-Jones (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Ginny Shaver (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Jamie Kiel (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Jennifer Fidler (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Leigh Hulsey (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Mike Kirkland (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Rex Reynolds (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Rick Rehm (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Scott Stadthagen (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Susan DuBose (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Terri Collins (Republican), House - Cosponsor: William Brock Colvin (Republican), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-02-26 | Senate | Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 657 | pass | 33 | 0 | | | 2026-02-26 | Senate | Third Reading in Second House | pass | 33 | 0 | | | 2026-01-27 | House | Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 169 | pass | 101 | 1 | 1 | | 2026-01-27 | House | Motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 168 | pass | 101 | 1 | 1 | | 2026-01-27 | House | Third Reading in House of Origin | pass | 100 | 1 | | ## Actions (22) - 2026-03-04: Enacted (House) - 2026-02-26: Third Reading in Second House (Senate) - 2026-02-26: Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 657 (Senate) - 2026-02-26: Ready to Enroll (House) - 2026-02-26: Ready to Enroll (House) - 2026-02-26: Enrolled (House) - 2026-02-26: Signature Requested (Senate) - 2026-02-26: Delivered to Governor (House) - 2026-02-05: Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar (Senate) - 2026-02-04: Reported Out of Committee Second House (Senate) - 2026-01-27: Third Reading in House of Origin (House) - 2026-01-27: Education Policy 1st Substitute Offered (House) - 2026-01-27: Motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 168 (House) - 2026-01-27: Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 169 (House) - 2026-01-27: Engrossed (House) - 2026-01-27: Read for the first time and referred to the Senate Committee on Education Policy (Senate) - 2026-01-27: Pending Committee Action in Second House (Senate) - 2026-01-21: Education Policy 1st Substitute (House) - 2026-01-21: Reported Out of Committee House of Origin (House) - 2026-01-21: Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar (House) - 2026-01-13: Read for the first time and referred to the House Committee on Education Policy (House) - 2026-01-13: Pending Committee Action in House of Origin (House) ## Bill text - As Introduced: [PDF](https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2026RS/HB78-int.pdf) - Engrossed: [PDF](https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2026RS/HB78-eng.pdf) - Enrolled: [PDF](https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2026RS/HB78-enr.pdf) ## Related bills - HB67: Voter Information; limit cost of reproducing voter registration list; crime for misuse of personal voter information; created (enacted) - SB154: State employees, cost-of-living increase for fiscal year beginning October 1, 2026 (enacted) - SB165: Elections; municipal elections, to set qualification fee amounts, to require indigent candidates to submit documentation for fee exemption (enacted) - HB317: Firefighter distinctive license plate; fire chaplains included, penalty for violations provided for (enacted) - SB272: Open Records; use of public records relating to schools for certain solicitation purposes prohibited; redaction of certain information relating to financial tr… (enacted) - SB190: Sales Tax; to exempt Precision Ocular (enacted) ## Sources - [As Introduced (PDF)](https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2026RS/HB78-int.pdf) - [Engrossed (PDF)](https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2026RS/HB78-eng.pdf) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2026RS/HB78-enr.pdf) ## Related - [HB67: Voter Information; limit cost of reproducing voter registration list; crime for…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AL-HB67-2026rs) - [SB154: State employees, cost-of-living increase for fiscal year beginning October 1, 2…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AL-SB154-2026rs) - [SB165: Elections; municipal elections, to set qualification fee amounts, to require in…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AL-SB165-2026rs) - [HB317: Firefighter distinctive license plate; fire chaplains included, penalty for vio…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AL-HB317-2026rs) - [SB272: Open Records; use of public records relating to schools for certain solicitatio…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AL-SB272-2026rs) - [SB190: Sales Tax; to exempt Precision Ocular](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AL-SB190-2026rs) - [Alabama bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/alabama/bills) - [Alabama state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/alabama) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AL-HB78-2026rs (as of 2026-10-19).