New York Gov. Kathy Hochul Signs Budget Bill Which Includes A Classroom Cellphones Ban

Forbes Breaking News

Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) held a press event on Friday to sign the FY26 budget into law.

Transcript

00:00All right, get close everybody come on.

00:05Now, you're getting a real lesson in government. You are the first students, I'm going to guess,

00:26in the history of the state to ever be there for the signing of the New York State budget.

00:33And I wanted you here because this budget is about you and your parents.

00:39And when I proposed my budget back in January, I said your family is my fight.

00:45And I wanted to make sure I could fight for your moms and dads to have more money back

00:49in their pockets.

00:50Everything's getting so much more expensive, your sneakers, your clothes, your backpacks.

00:56And it's been hard.

00:57It's hard for them to pay the bills.

01:00So I knew that if I could focus on families, help your parents out, the inflation rebate

01:06will help thousands of families here in this area.

01:10Every child that's under the age of four, anybody have little siblings under the age of four?

01:14Anybody?

01:15Okay, that's $1,000 for your family.

01:17Anybody over age four here?

01:19Yes, you all are.

01:21That's $500 for your parents, for each one of you and your siblings.

01:26Okay, add it up, that's money back for your parents, but also cover the complete cost of

01:31school breakfasts and lunches so mom and dad don't have to pay for that.

01:36And also a tax cut for your parents.

01:38So it's all going to add up to about $5,000.

01:43So when you go home today, as part of the Mother's Gate present, say, Mom, I just heard

01:48from the governor say, we're going to get $5,000 back in our pockets.

01:51Does that sound like a nice gift?

01:53Yes.

01:54I'll take credit for it because you're here to witness this signing.

01:57But also this cell phone ban is so important for your health, the health of all the students

02:05that are coming behind you who should never even know you could have a cell phone in school.

02:09You were the first.

02:10You were the ones that went ahead of everybody else, and I want to thank your leadership for

02:14that as well.

02:15But every student in the state of New York, starting in September, will have the opportunity

02:19of having a distraction-free school experience where they can learn and study, instead of

02:26looking at memes, look at their math and get things done in school and be more productive

02:31and it will benefit them overall.

02:33So I wanted to say I delivered on my promise, I'm going to continue keeping my promises,

02:38and you are here to witness this.

02:39So what we do is we have the bill that was passed by the legislature late last night.

02:44It says Senate, the Assembly, and now what is it looking for?

02:48The governor's signature.

02:52And here we have the bill, and now is when you get to applaud the signing of the bill.

03:07You're here to watch this.

03:11And because you watch this, you get to have something that very few people have, the same

03:16kind of pen that I use to sign the New York State budget that you get to take home.

03:21That sound good?

03:22All right.

03:23Everybody gets a pen.

03:24There you go.

03:25You want to help pass them out?

03:26There we go.

03:27There you go, everybody.

03:29Let's get these around.

03:31You have additional ones in this pouch.

03:33All right.

03:34Want to help send those out?

03:35Let's see.

03:36Who wants to help me get those out, everybody?

03:38Let's do this.

03:39Come on.

03:40Let's get a pen.

03:41And while we're at it, how about a very cool New York State pen?

03:45A pin.

03:46Look at that.

03:47Look at that.

03:48Look at that.

03:49All right.

03:50Let's make sure everybody gets the pens going out.

03:52Anybody else we're missing back there?

03:54There you go.

03:55Two things.

03:56We've got enough for everybody.

03:58We've got enough for everybody.

03:59We've got enough for everybody.

04:00We've got enough for everybody.

04:01Do you want the pen?

04:03How about some more pens?

04:04You've got enough for everybody?

04:05Everyone's going to have a pen.

04:06Hand some over here, Michael.

04:09Let's see.

04:11All right.

04:12You get yours.

04:14There you go.

04:16You're welcome.

04:17Anybody we miss?

04:18Right over here.

04:19All right.

04:20Make sure you take the pens.

04:21Take the pens as well.

04:23All right?

04:24Maybe you're not used to using pens and pencils anymore.

04:26I get it.

04:27It's kind of a collector's item, right?

04:30You're all set, everybody?

04:31Yes.

04:33You all use that?

04:34Okay.

04:35Here you go.

04:36Here you go.

04:37You need a pen too?

04:38I don't want to leave anybody out.

04:39Who else needs a bill?

04:41Anybody else?

04:42You should give one to your principal.

04:44Let's give your principal one and your superintendent and your president of the school board.

04:49Listen, I want to thank all of you for witnessing history and participating in history.

04:54First state in the nation to have a bell-to-bell cell phone ban all day long for kindergarten to age 12.

05:00You saw it here first.

05:01I hope the other states will follow our lead because this is why we're doing it.

05:08All right.

05:09How was that?

05:10I'm going to have you go back here, please.

05:11I got you out of class for a little bit, right?

05:13Anderson, did you get a pen?

05:14Yeah.

05:15Oh, yeah.

05:16Everybody get a pen?

05:18Everybody get a pen?

05:20Everybody get a pen?

05:21I think so.

05:22Okay.

05:23There you go.

05:25Good to see everybody.

05:26Thank you and happy Mother's Day.

05:27Thank you very much.

05:30Sorry.

05:31Thank you very much.

05:35Thanks, sister.

05:38It was wonderful.

05:39Thank you so much.

05:42Take care, everybody.

05:43Have a great day.

05:45Don't forget your mom.

05:51Okay?

05:55Take care, buddy.

05:56Have a great day.

05:58Don't forget your moms, okay?

06:00Take care of your moms.

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