H.R. 8743: Screen-time Management And Recommendations for Teens and Kids Act

This bill, titled the **Screen-time Management And Recommendations for Teens and Kids Act** (or **SMART Kids Act**), aims to establish guidelines for screen time for children to support their healthy development and well-being. Here’s a breakdown of its key components:

Recommendations for Screen Time Limits

The bill directs the Surgeon General of the Public Health Service to create specific recommendations regarding how much time children should spend on electronic devices with display screens. These recommendations will be based on evidence and research.

Age-Based Recommendations

In developing these recommendations, the Surgeon General will categorize them by age groups, specifically:

• Children aged 0 to 2 years
• Children aged 2 to 5 years
• Children aged 5 to 8 years
• Children aged 8 to 13 years
• Teens aged 13 to 16 years
• Teens aged 16 to 18 years

Qualitative Recommendations

Aside from age-based recommendations, the Surgeon General may also suggest qualitative factors to consider—like the type of content and whether some forms of screen time are less harmful than others.

Coordination with an Independent Entity

The bill mandates that the Surgeon General collaborates with an independent organization to formulate the recommendations. The chosen entity must be free from financial or other conflicts of interest to ensure unbiased results.

Timeline for Publication

Following the enactment of this legislation, the Surgeon General is required to:

• Publish the finalized recommendations on the official website of the Department of Health and Human Services within one year.
• Provide a report on these recommendations to Congress.

Definition of Screen Time Limit

The term “screen time limit” refers to the maximum amount of time a child or teen is allowed to spend using an electronic device that has a display screen.

Relevant Companies

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