H.F. 570 Summary

• Children in publicly funded preschool or kindergarten programs cannot use individual-use screens such as tablets, smartphones, or other digital media without engagement from a teacher or other students.

• The Department of Education must contract for production and implementation of a statewide public educational campaign to educate parents on screen use effects for children ages zero to five.

• The parent education campaign must cover World Health Organization and American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines for screen use, effects on early childhood brain development, risks of excessive screen time, and effects of parental screen overuse with children under age five.

• An unspecified amount from the general fund is appropriated in fiscal year 2022 to the commissioner of education for the statewide public educational campaign.

• The contractor producing and implementing the campaign must provide a private match of $1 for every $1 of state funding received.