NEW YORK (PIX11) -- After being at odds over a proposed cell phone ban in New York schools, it appears Gov. Kathy Hochul and lawmakers have reached an agreement moving forward.
On Monday, Hochul announced a $254 billion state budget for the next fiscal year, which includes a historic $37 billion investment in education, the highest amount in state history.
Along with the record investment, Hochul addressed the need to remove cell phones from the classroom and said that a new "bell to bell" plan will be implemented beginning in September.
"All public schools will implement policies to free students from smartphones and other devices," said Hochul. "We need classrooms where young minds can flourish, and that means eliminating once and for all the digital distraction that steals our kids' attention."
Hochul added that removing cell phones will improve the mental health of children. "We are protecting them from addictive technology designed to hijack their attention. Cell phones have dragged too many of our kids into dark places. Together with this change in policy, we are helping them climb back into the light."
While a general agreement was reached, the legislature still needs to vote on budget bills. Hochul has not ruled out the potential for future changes.
“The reality is, we can only devise a budget based on the information we have at this time,” she said. “There is a possibility that we’ll have to come back later this year and update our budget in response to federal actions.”
Ben Mitchell is a digital content producer from Vermont who has covered both local and international news since 2021. He joined PIX11 in 2024. See more of his work here.
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