K-12 State Screen Time Legislation

Screen Time Legislation Actively Moving

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California: AB 2675 / SB 1128

Status: AB 2675 in Appropriations. SB 1128 in Appropriations; hearing May 4.

AB 2675: Requires the State Department of Education to compile best practices for education technology. Relatively narrow as amended.

CalMatters Digital Democracy: AB 2675

SB 1128: Starting in the 2027-28 school year, it would bar districts from requiring kindergartners (including transitional kindergarten) to take school devices home, would push the Department of Education to publish model policies on age-appropriate screen exposure, and would explicitly authorize districts to run a "Wait Until 8th" program encouraging families to delay social media until 8th grade. 

CalMatters Digital Democracy: SB 1128

Massachusetts: SD 2285 / S. 2581

Status: House and Senate passed different versions, in a 6-person conference committee.

S. 2581 requires school districts to prohibit personal electronic devices during the school day.

SD 2285 (added to S. 2581) requires published screen time limits for interactive and passive use. Conference committee resolving differences between chambers.

Official Senate bill text (malegislature.gov) 

Missouri: HB 2230 / SB 1351

Status: HB 2230 passed House, in Senate Education Committee. SB 1351 passed Senate, advancing through House.

HB 2230: Limits digital instruction for K-5 to 45 minutes/day. Requires 70% of K-5 assignments on paper. Mandates cursive instruction starting grade 2. Prohibits tech-based homework and library replacement. SIIA opposed.

SB 1351: Requires K-5 screen time and technology policies. Creates a Media Literacy Pilot Program and a statewide council to study screen use. Passed Senate; in House.

Oklahoma: HB 4358

Status: Passed House, in Senate Technology and Telecommunications Committee.

Limits screen time for pre-K through grade 5 to one hour per school day. Exempts students with IEPs and those needing assistive technology. SIIA opposed.

Vermont: H.650

Status: Resolved, but not as originally introduced. Merged into Data Privacy Bill (H.211).

This was originally proposed to require EdTech providers to register annually with the Secretary of State and obtain state certification; prohibit schools from using uncertified products; set minimum data privacy standards;  ban non-essential data collection and targeted advertising; and potentially ban chatbots from schools for five years unless approved by a principal.

The certification requirement was dropped in the Senate and replaced with a registry plus a two-year AI-chatbot moratorium, and the chatbot moratorium was removed; leaving only registry provisions, which were folded into H.211, a broader data privacy bill.

Legislation In Committee or Early Stage

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North Carolina: SB 864/SB948

Status: SB 864 Referred to Committee on Rules and Operations of the Senate. SB 948 referred to Committee on Appropriations/Base Budget.

SB 864: Requires the State Board of Education to adopt and implement K-12 standards for artificial intelligence (AI) literacy. Requires public school units to adopt a policy governing the use of AI by students and staff, based on a model policy developed by the Department of Public Instruction. Directs the Department of Public Instruction to establish an evaluation framework for AI educational tools and maintain a public list of reviewed tools. Mandates that all teachers in public school units complete professional development on the use of AI.

SB948: Creates policies to restrict the use of wireless devices in schools. Requires public school units to adopt policies restricting student use of wireless communication devices, with specific limitations on screen time and device access that vary by grade level. Establishes a parent's right to opt their child out of being issued a school wireless communication device or taking one home. Mandates that printed materials be used in all classrooms for kindergarten through grade eight. Appropriates $930 million in recurring funds to provide one teacher assistant for every kindergarten through grade five classroom.

Minnesota: HF 3776 / SF 4202

Status: In committee.

Would prohibit children in publicly funded preschool and kindergarten from using individual screens at school. HF 3776 includes IEP/504 exemptions; SF 4202 does not — a significant concern for students with disabilities.

Stalled / Postponed Legislation

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Alabama: HB 376 / HB 584

Status: HB 376 passed the House, stalled in the Senate. HB 584 passed the House, stalled in the Senate. Alabama Legislature adjourned sine die after a four-month session in mid-April without further Senate floor action reported.

HB 376: Requires the State Board of Education to develop a model policy on instructional technology including age-appropriate screen time limits. Requires parental access to classroom technology lists and student browsing history.

HB 584: Requires the State Board of Education to adopt screen-based instruction standards for K-5. Restricts screen use to a supplementary tool and prohibits it as a replacement for direct teacher instruction. Creates an Elementary Instructional Technology Task Force.

Illinois: SB 3358 / SB 3735

Status: Stalled in committee.

SB 3358: Requires statewide guidance on technology-based learning resources by July 1, 2027. Authorizes a stakeholder council.

SB 3735: Grants students and parents opt-out rights from educational technology and online assignments. Requires human review of AI-generated grades. Prohibits biometric systems and student data use for AI training without written consent. SIIA actively engaged.

Missouri: HB 2230 / SB 1351

Status: HB 2230 passed House, stalled in Senate Education Committee. SB 1351 passed Senate, stalled in House.

HB 2230: Limits digital instruction for K-5 to 45 minutes/day. Requires 70% of K-5 assignments on paper. Mandates cursive instruction starting grade 2. Prohibits tech-based homework and library replacement.

SB 1351: Requires K-5 screen time and technology policies. Creates a Media Literacy Pilot Program and a statewide council to study screen use.

Oklahoma: HB 4358

Status: Passed House, stalled in Senate. Oklahoma Legislature adjourned sine die on May 14, 2026, ending the session.

Limits screen time for pre-K through grade 5 to one hour per school day. Exempts students with IEPs and those needing assistive technology.

Legislation That Did Not Advance This Session

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• Florida SB 2-D (AI Bill of Rights)

• Kansas SB 350 (parental controls)

• Kentucky SB 318 (strict K-5 limits, 70% paper mandate)

• Rhode Island HB 7895 / HB 8345

• South Carolina HB 5442 (K-5 device ban)

• Vermont H.830

• West Virginia HB 4945 (grades 3-and-below device ban), HB 5205/HB 5496 (screen time limits and digital privacy standards)