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