US EditionHochul: $254B state budget deal includes school cellphone ban, inflation checks, discovery law changes
- New York lawmakers, led by Governor Kathy Hochul, have agreed to a $254 billion budget that includes a statewide ban on cellphones in public schools, effective September 2025, from 'bell to bell,' including during lunch periods.
- The budget allocates $13.5 million to assist schools in implementing the cellphone ban, as many schools already use lockable pouches to store phones during the school day.
- Governor Hochul has emphasized that this policy is designed to protect students from 'addictive technology' and improve their mental health.
- Additionally, the budget includes tax cuts for low- and middle-income families, providing checks and expanding tax credits.
90 Articles
90 Articles
Top 5 Takeaways From New York’s 2026 Budget
NEW YORK—Legislative leaders have finally come to an agreement with New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on the state’s fiscal year 2026 budget. Hochul delayed the budget nearly a month to include tax cuts, criminal law reform measures, the addition of what she called an “inflation refund,” and a phone-free schools provision. The governor’s office announced on April 28 that an agreement had been reached on the $254 billion budget, which had been held up i…
New York Makes it Easier to Commit People With Severe Mental Illnesses
From Politico: “ALBANY, New York — Gov. Kathy Hochul shored up her public safety agenda this week when state lawmakers agreed to loosen the legal standard for involuntary commitment of the mentally ill — a major victory for the Democrat and a sign that political winds on the issue are shifting to the center. The foundation of the new policy is that New York state will be able to authorize first responders to forcibly hospitalize mentally ill New…
Arkansas schools prepare for laws going into effect next year
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Summer break is right around the corner for students, but it won't be a break for the state's school districts, which received plenty of homework from the state legislature. Of all the law changes coming in the 2025-2026 school year, Pulaski County Special School District Assistant Superintendent Dr. Janice Warren said "Bell to Bell, No Cell" is the most challenging. The law requires students' phones to be stored during schoo…
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