[THEME MUSIC] >> WELCOME TO THIS WEEK'S EDITION OF NEW YORK NOW.

I'M SHANTEL DESTRA.

SCHOOLS ACROSS NEW YORK STATE HAVE IMPLEMENTED WHAT IS KNOWN AS A BELL TO BELL CELL PHONE BAN.

THE STATE POLICY WHICH WAS FIRST INTRODUCED BY GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL AND PASSED IN THE MOST RECENT STATE BUDGET PROHIBITS KIDS FROM USING THEIR CELL PHONES THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL DAY.

SUPPORTERS OF THE POLICY SAY THAT THE BAN HELPS STUDENTS TO FOCUS WHILE IN CLASS AND LIMITS DISTRACTIONS.

WHILE THERE HAS BEEN AN ADJUSTMENT PERIOD, THE OVERALL RESPONSE TO THE BAN FROM PARENTS, STUDENTS AND SCHOOL OFFICIALS HAS BEEN POSITIVE.

IN THIS NEXT SEGMENT, OUR ELISE KLINE TOOK A LOOK AT THE WORK TO IMPLEMENT THE CELL BAN IN SCHOOL DISTRICTS ACROSS THE STATE.

HERE'S THAT STORY.

>> IT'S BEEN A LITTLE OVER A MONTH SINCE THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR STARTED WITH A NEW STATE LAW RESTRICTING CELL PHONE USAGE BY KIDS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE SCHOOL DAY.

GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL SAID AT A RECENT PRESS CONFERENCE, WHILE TALKING TO STUDENTS, SHE'S EXCITED TO SEE THE REGULATION COME TO LIFE.

>> YOU ARE GOING TO BE SMARTER BECAUSE YOU'LL BE PAYING ATTENTION MORE IN SCHOOL.

YOUR TEACHERS WILL HAVE A BETTER EXPERIENCE TEACHING YOU AND MAKING CONNECTIONS WITH YOU.

AND ULTIMATELY, YOU'RE GOING TO BE BETTER THAN ANYBODY ELSE.

>> THE BELL TO BELL BAN WAS SIGNED INTO LAW IN THE 2026 FISCAL YEAR STATE BUDGET.

SINCE THEN, THE GOVERNOR HAS BEEN TRAVELING AROUND THE STATE TALKING TO SCHOOL LEADERS TO PREPARE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS, WHICH INCLUDES A UNIQUE ELEMENT, MASCOT FRANKIE FOCUS.

>> HE DOESN'T SAY A LOT, HE'S KIND OF QUIET.

THAT'S ALL RIGHT, THAT'S ALL RIGHT.

BUT HE IS VERY FOCUSED ON LEARNING IN SCHOOL, FOCUSED ON THE TEACHERS, FOCUSED ON MAKING FRIENDS.

>> WHILE HOCHUL CALLS FRANKIE HER BEST FRIEND, THE FURRY POLICY ADVOCATE SEEMS TO GET MIXED REVIEWS FROM STUDENTS, LAWMAKERS, AND ADVOCATES.

MELINDA PERSON, PRESIDENT OF NEW YORK STATE UNITED TEACHERS, SAYS FRANKIE IS POPULAR AMONG THE YOUNGER CROWD OF KIDS, BUT THE OLDER KIDS FIND HIM STRANGE.

>> THE ELEMENTARY KIDS LOVE HIM; HE'S VERY SIMILAR TO THE MONSTERS INC.

GUYS.

AND MY OWN MIDDLE SCHOOL CHILDREN WERE LIKE, 'OH, MOM, HE IS SO CRINGE.'

>> WHETHER STUDENTS ARE LAUGHING WITH OR AT FRANKIE FOCUS, PERSON SAYS THEIR ATTENTION SEEMS TO BE SHIFTING AWAY FROM THEIR PHONES.

>> THERE ARE STUDENTS WHO ARE TALKING TO EACH OTHER AGAIN, ENGAGING IN THE HALLWAY, IN THE CAFETERIA.

STUDENTS ARE PAYING ATTENTION IN CLASS IN WAYS THAT THEY WEREN'T LAST YEAR.

>> ROSE PASTORE, A SENIOR AT BETHLEHEM CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL, SAYS AT HER SCHOOL A SIMILAR LOCAL RESTRICTION ON CELL PHONES HAD ALREADY BEEN IN PLACE, SO THE NEW STATEWIDE POLICY DIDN'T HAVE TOO MUCH OF AN INITIAL IMPACT.

HOWEVER, SHE SAYS WHEN CELL PHONE RESTRICTIONS FIRST CAME TO HER SCHOOL ABOUT 3 YEARS AGO, STUDENTS WERE NOT HAPPY.

>> THE FIRST YEAR, EVERYONE WAS VERY MAD ABOUT IT, LIKE PEOPLE WERE NOT HAPPY.

BUT I THINK HONESTLY IT'S REALLY WORKED ITSELF INTO THE CHARACTER OF OUR SCHOOL, AND PEOPLE DON'T MISS IT AS MUCH AS THEY THOUGHT THEY WOULD.

>> PASTORE ADDS THAT STUDENTS STARTED TO ENGAGE MORE WITH EACH OTHER RATHER THAN THEIR DEVICES.

>> IT'S REALLY NICE TO WALK AROUND THE SCHOOL AND SEE PEOPLE, AND THEY'RE NOT ON THEIR PHONES.

AND EVERYONE'S KIND OF TALKING TO EACH OTHER, AND I REMEMBER THAT'S DEFINITELY DIFFERENT FROM MY FRESHMAN YEAR.

IF YOU LOOKED IN THE CAFETERIA, WHEN WE STILL HAD PHONES, EVERYONE WAS ON THEIR PHONES, AND THEY WERE STILL TALKING TO EACH OTHER, BUT THERE WAS THAT ADDED DISTRACTION.

>> CLAIRE ALIGGAYU, ALSO A SENIOR AT BETHLEHEM CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL, AGREES, SAYING THE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT HAS BECOME MORE LIVELY.

>> I LOOK AT THE HALLS, AND EVERYONE IS TALKING WITH SOMEONE.

I THINK PEOPLE ARE MORE ENGAGED IN THEIR COMMUNITY, AND I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA THAT THERE WAS A PHONE BAN.

>> SOME SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE ALSO REPORTED GREATER USE OF THEIR SCHOOL LIBRARIES SINCE THE NEW LAW WENT INTO EFFECT.

JOSEPH HOCHREITER, SUPERINTENDENT OF THE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT OF ALBANY, SAYS STUDENTS SEEM TO BE GETTING MORE ENGAGED IN SCHOOL MATERIALS.

>> ONE OF OUR HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARIANS REPORTED OVER 120 PERCENT INCREASE IN STUDENTS TAKING OUT BOOKS AT THE LIBRARY, SO THEY'RE ACCESSING RESOURCES DIFFERENTLY THAN HAVING TO ACCESS THEM ON THEIR PHONE, WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN THE CASE IN THE PAST.

>> PERSON SAYS SEEING STUDENTS ENGAGE MORE WITH EACH OTHER AND THEIR EDUCATION IS EXCITING.

>> WE'RE SO EXCITED ABOUT THE IMPACT IN TERMS OF PROTECTING STUDENTS' MENTAL HEALTH AND THEIR LEARNING.

BUT I WOULD ADD THAT WE TRULY BELIEVE THAT WE ARE GIVING OUR YOUNG PEOPLE A BIT OF THEIR CHILDHOOD BACK, AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT ANY PARENT WOULD BE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT.

>> SOME MENTAL HEALTH EXPERTS SAY MUCH OF THE EXISTING RESEARCH ON THE TOPIC GENERALLY SHOWS NEGATIVE RESULTS BETWEEN SOCIAL MEDIA AND PHONE USE AND MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.

MELISSA DIMARTINO, AN ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF PSYCHOLOGY AT THE NEW YORK INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, SAYS SOCIAL MEDIA IS INCREASING LEVELS OF ANXIETY, LONELINESS, LOW SELF ESTEEM, AND RATES OF DEPRESSION.

>> WHEN YOU HAVE THE PHONE, YOU GET A QUICK DOPAMINE RELEASE, THAT SORT OF FEEL GOOD, HAPPY HORMONE FROM THE BRAIN, BUT IT'S NOT SATIATING THE HUMAN NEED FOR CONNECTIVITY.

>> DIMARTINO RECENTLY CONDUCTED HER OWN STUDY WHERE SHE HAD STUDENTS PUT THEIR PHONES OUT OF REACH IN HER COLLEGE CLASSROOM ACCORDING TO HER FINDINGS, HER STUDENTS' PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL BEING IMPROVED AS A RESULT.

>> I SAW AN INITIAL ANXIOUSNESS; STUDENTS WERE REALLY ANXIOUS, AND I THOUGHT MY RESULTS WERE GOING TO SAY THAT ANXIETY INCREASED WITHOUT THE PHONE.

BUT THE THING IS THAT AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME OF GETTING USED TO HAVING THIS CLASS WHERE THEY CAN JUST RELAX AND BE PART OF THE CLASS, THEY GOT USED TO PUTTING THEIR PHONES ON THE WINDOWSILL.

SO AFTER THE SIX WEEKS, WHICH WAS THE TIME PERIOD, THEY ACTUALLY ENDED UP RELAXING, THEY REALLY ENGAGED IN THE CLASS.

>> DIMARTINO SAYS SHE SAW STUDENTS WHO, BEFORE THE STUDY, WERE VERY QUIET, ENGAGE MORE, AND COME TO LIFE.

>> CAROL VIDAL, AN ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR IN THE DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHIATRY AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE AT THE JOHN HOPKINS SCHOOL OF MEDICINE, SAYS SOCIAL MEDIA AND PHONE USE CAN ALSO HAVE PARTICULARLY HARMFUL EFFECTS ON SLEEP AND BODY IMAGE.

ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE, EATING DISORDERS ARE ON THE RISE, AND A NOTED LIKELY SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IS MISUSE OF SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS.

>> SO PEOPLE WITH A TENDENCY TO HAVE AN EATING DISORDER WILL BE ABLE TO GET ON AN ALGORITHM THAT SUGGESTS WAYS TO LOSE WEIGHT OR EXERCISE EXCESSIVELY, WHICH DOESN'T HELP IF YOU'RE TRYING TO BASICALLY DECREASE THOSE BEHAVIORS THAT CAN BE HARMFUL.

>> JULIE SCELFO, THE FOUNDER OF MOTHERS AGAINST MEDIA ADDICTION, SAYS SHE'S VERY WORRIED ABOUT KIDS' ADDICTIONS TO THEIR PHONES AND CONNECTIONS TO THE YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS.

>> AND I'M A MOM OF THREE, AND WATCHING YOUNG PEOPLE SPEND NEARLY NINE HOURS A DAY ON THEIR SCREENS EVERY DAY, IT'S VERY CLEAR THAT IT'S NOT HEALTHY OR SAFE FOR THEIR HEARTS AND MINDS.

>> ADVOCATES FROM THE NATIONAL PARENTS' UNION ARGUE STUDENTS NEED TO LEARN HOW TO HAVE A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP WITH THEIR PHONES OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL.

KERI RODRIGUES, THE PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL PARENTS UNION AND A MOM OF FIVE, SAYS RESTRICTING KIDS CELL PHONE USE IN SCHOOL ISN'T A STRATEGY THAT WILL WORK FOR CHILDRENHIGHLIGHTING JUST SAY NO TO DRUG CAMPAIGNS THAT WERE UNSUCCESSFUL.

>> WE CAN BAN THESE FROM THEIR LIVES FOR SIX AND A HALF HOURS A DAY, BUT AT 2:30 THAT'S WHEN THE TIKTOK CHALLENGE HAPPENS, THAT IS WHEN THE SNAPCHAT GROUP TEXTS START FIRING UP, AND THAT'S WHERE KIDS ARE LEFT BY THEMSELVES TO NAVIGATE THESE SPACES.

>> RODRIGUES ADDS SCHOOLS COULD INSTEAD UTILIZE PHONE USE IN SCHOOL AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO TRAIN KIDS HOW TO NAVIGATE THE DIGITAL REALM THEY LIVE IN.

>> KNOWLEDGE IS POWER.

GIVING THEM INFORMATION, GIVING THEM THE STRATEGIES THAT THEY NEED SO THAT THEY CAN MAKE GOOD DECISIONS AND THAT THEY'RE READY FOR THE CHALLENGES THAT ARE WAITING FOR THEM AFTER 2:30.

>> SOME STATE LAWMAKERS, LIKE STATE SENATOR PATRICIA FAHY, A DEMOCRAT REPRESENTING PARTS OF THE CAPITAL REGION, SAY THEY BELIEVE THIS NEW REGULATION WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

>> I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST THIS WILL BE ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE CHANGES WE HAVE MADE IN EDUCATION IN YEARS, THAT'S HOW HIGH MY HOPES ARE.

>> SOME OTHER STATE LAWMAKERS, LIKE STATE SENATOR GEORGE BORRELLO, A REPUBLICAN REPRESENTING PARTS OF THE FINGER LAKES, HOPE THIS NEW LAW WILL ALSO HELP IMPROVE STUDENTS' TEST SCORES.

>> NEW YORK STATE SCHOOLS ARE NOT PERFORMING WELL.

WE SPEND MORE PER PUPIL THAN ANY OTHER STATE IN THE NATION, AND YET OUR RESULTS FALL SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE OF ALL THE STATES.

SO I'M HOPING THAT THIS IS GOING TO IMPROVE THOSE SCORES.

>> THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, OVERSEEING THE NEW REGULATION, SAYS THE IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS HAS VARIED IN ITS RESPONSE.

>> AND IN SOME PLACES, WE'VE BEEN HEARING IT'S WORKING WELL.

IN SOME PLACES, AS WE KIND OF ANTICIPATED, THEY'RE STRUGGLING BUT ARE MOVING AND PUTTING ADDITIONAL THINGS IN PLACE TO SUPPORT THE ENGAGEMENT AND THE CONVERSATIONS.

>> HOCHREITER SAYS ONE OF THE CHALLENGES WHEN IMPLEMENTING THE LAW IN THEIR SCHOOLS IS SCALABILITY.

>> WE HAVE ONE OF THE LARGEST HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE REGION.

AND WITH OVER 2700 STUDENTS COMING THROUGH OUR DOORS EACH DAY, WE HAD TO CREATE A METHOD TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COULD SECURE CELL PHONES, MAKE SURE THAT STUDENTS DIDN'T HAVE THEM DURING THE DAY, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, DO IT IN AN EFFICIENT WAY WHERE THE FLOW OF STUDENTS IN AND OUT OF THE BUILDING WAS SEAMLESS.

SO, WE'RE STILL WORKING OUT SOME OF THOSE KINKS.

>> HOCHREITER SAYS THE SCHOOL, AFTER A FEW WEEKS, HAS IMPROVED AT GIVING KIDS THEIR PHONE POUCHES IN THE MORNING AND GETTING THEM TO THEIR FIRST PERIOD ON TIME.

HOCHREITER SAYS THERE ARE ALSO UNANTICIPATED CHALLENGES, SUCH AS STUDENTS NEEDING INFORMATION FROM THEIR PHONES, SUCH AS FAMILY MEMBERS' PHONE NUMBERS THAT THEY DON'T HAVE MEMORIZED.

MEANWHILE, REQUESTS FOR TRANSLATION SERVICES HAVE GONE UP.

>> WE HAVE STUDENTS FROM ABOUT 50 COUNTRIES AND SPEAK 40 DIFFERENT LANGUAGES, AND FOR A LONG TIME, STUDENTS WERE THE TRANSLATORS BETWEEN FAMILIES THAT SPOKE A NATIVE LANGUAGE AND FOLKS AT SCHOOL.

>> WHILE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW LAW IS STILL IN ITS EARLY STAGES AND WORKING OUT THE KINKS, THERE ARE SOME CHALLENGES THAT EDUCATION ADVOCATES BELIEVE WILL CONTINUE, SUCH AS PARENTS' ACCESS TO THEIR KIDS.

DAVID ALBERT, CHIEF COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER AT THE NEW YORK STATE SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION, SAYS PARENTS ARE HAVING TO ADJUST JUST LIKE STUDENTS ARE.

>> PARENTS MAY BE THE WILDCARDS IN THIS BECAUSE TYPICALLY PARENTS ARE USED TO BEING ABLE TO REACH THEIR STUDENT DURING THE DAY IF THEY NEED TO THROUGH A TEXT MESSAGE OR WHAT HAVE YOU.

THAT PROCESS IS GONE NOW, SO A LOT OF PARENTS WILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH EITHER AN EMAIL OR THEY'LL HAVE TO REACH OUT TO THE PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE.

>> BOB LOWRY, THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR ADVOCACY, RESEARCH, AND COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE NEW YORK STATE COUNCIL OF SUPERINTENDENTS, SAYS WHAT HE'S HEARD SO FAR HAS BEEN MOSTLY POSITIVE.

STILL, HE WONDERS WILL CONTROVERSY GROW DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR?

>> WE DO WONDER, IS THIS A HONEYMOON PERIOD?

WILL MORE PROBLEMS EMERGE?

WILL MORE TENSIONS, PARTICULARLY IF SOME EPISODE OCCURS WHERE PARENTS REALLY FEEL 'I WANTED TO BE ABLE TO CONTACT MY CHILDREN.'

SO, THAT'S SOMETHING WE ARE ANTICIPATING.

>> SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE REQUIRED BY THE LAW TO ESTABLISH LINES OF COMMUNICATION FOR HOW PARENTS CAN REACH THEIR STUDENT IN AN EMERGENCY AND VICE VERSA.

LOWRY SAYS ALMOST ALL SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE STATE HAVE COMPLIED BY THE AUGUST 1ST DEADLINE THEY WERE GIVEN.

FOR EXAMPLE, AT THE END OF JULY, THE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT OF ALBANY ESTABLISHED THAT EACH SCHOOL BUILDING WILL PROVIDE A LOCATION FOR STUDENTS TO MAKE URGENT OR IMPORTANT PHONE CALLS TO A PARENT OR GUARDIAN IN A SUPERVISED MANNER.

THE SCHOOL POLICY ALSO OUTLINES THAT THE SCHOOL WILL DESIGNATE STAFF AND LOCATIONS FOR PARENTS TO HAVE URGENT MESSAGES RELAYED TO THEIR STUDENTS DURING THE DAY, AS WELL AS OFFERING TRANSLATION SERVICES WHEN NEEDED.

HOCHREITER SAYS THIS PROCESS HAS GONE RELATIVELY SMOOTHLY SO FAR WITH SOME LOCKDOWNS AND OTHER INCIDENTS COMING UP, NOT YET HEARING FROM UPSET PARENTS NOT BEING ABLE TO REACH THEIR KIDS OR VICE VERSA.

>> WE KNOW THAT WE'LL HAVE SOME ONE OFFS, WE KNOW THAT WE'LL HAVE INSTANCES WHERE KIDS AREN'T ABLE TO COMMUNICATE AS DIRECTLY OR QUICKLY WITH FAMILIES OR VICE VERSA, AND THOSE ARE SOME OF THE KINKS WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK OUT.

>> KYLE BELOKOPITSKY, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE NEW YORK STATE PARENT TEACHER ASSOCIATION, SAYS AFTER SENDING OUT A RECENT SURVEY AMONG THEIR MEMBERS, THEY DID HEAR SOME SAFETY CONCERNS.

SHE SAYS AS A MOTHER OF A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT HERSELF, SHE UNDERSTANDS THE CONCERNS, BUT SHE IS ALSO CONFIDENT IN THE SCHOOL STAFF.

>> THE FIRST THING I WORRY ABOUT IN THE MORNING WHEN I DROP MY SON OFF AT SCHOOL IS, IS THERE GOING TO BE A SITUATION AT SCHOOL THAT INVOLVES LAW ENFORCEMENT COMING TO SCHOOL FOR SOME REASON?

I KNOW THAT OUR GREAT EDUCATORS AND THEIR SCHOOL STAFF ARE GOING TO DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO KEEP JACKSON SAFE.

AND AS A PART OF THAT, THAT IS ACTUALLY KEEPING THEM OFF CELL PHONES DURING A LOCKDOWN DRILL OR, GOD FORBID, A SCHOOL SHOOTING.

>> BUT NOT ALL PARENTS FEEL CONFIDENT IN THESE KINDS OF POLICIES, ESPECIALLY AT A TIME WHEN SCHOOLS ARE EXPERIENCING DRAMATIC INCREASES IN SCHOOL SHOOTINGS AND GUN VIOLENCE.

>> THE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR PARENTS IS MAINTAINING THAT LEVEL OF COMMUNICATION WITH KIDS, NOT ONLY BECAUSE, UNFORTUNATELY, IN THIS COUNTRY WE HAVE DECIDED THAT WE LOVE GUNS MORE THAN WE LOVE CHILDREN AND WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO ADEQUATELY ADDRESS THE GUN VIOLENCE EPIDEMIC IN OUR SCHOOLS AND IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

>> KIM BLASIAK, A MOTHER OF FOUR AND AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE PTA IN GUILDERLAND, SAYS SHE ALSO HEARS CONCERNS FROM PARENTS IN HER PTA AND SHE UNDERSTANDS THOSE WORRIES, BUT FOR HER, WORRYING IS INEVITABLE.

>> I THINK WITH OR WITHOUT CELL PHONES, I WOULD BE ANXIOUS ABOUT AN EMERGENCY.

SO I THINK THE CELL PHONES ARE JUST ONE OF THOSE TOOLS THAT, AS A PARENT, YOU'RE LIKE "OKAY, I CAN REACH MY KID OR I CAN FIND MY PHONE AND SEE WHERE THEY ARE."

>> MANY PARENTS ALSO EXPRESS CONCERNS ABOUT REACHING THEIR KIDS DURING THE DAY WHEN SOMETHING IMPORTANT ARISESFORGETTING ATHLETIC GEAR OR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, NEEDING TO CHANGE PICK UP TIMES, AND MORE.

BELOKOPITSKY SAYS FOR HER, WHO ADMITS SHE IS A HELICOPTER MOM, IT'S BEEN AN ADJUSTMENT TO NOT BE ABLE TO CONTACT HER SON DURING THE SCHOOL DAY TO CHECK IN AND SEE IF HE NEEDS ANYTHING.

>> AND I THINK WE HAVE TO DO OUR PART AS PARENTS AND FAMILIES, BECAUSE I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT HE WAS OKAY, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT HE DIDN'T NEED ME DURING THE DAY.

HE DOESN'T NEED ME DURING THE DAY; HE'S 16 YEARS OLD, HE'S WITH HIS FRIENDS, HE'S WITH HIS GREAT TEACHERS, HE DOESN'T NEED MOM DURING THOSE SCHOOL HOURS.

AND WE RAISE INDEPENDENT CHILDREN, WE WANT INDEPENDENT CHILDREN, AND I THINK WE HAVE TO TAKE A STEP BACK TOO AND REALIZE WE MAY BE PART OF THE PROBLEM IN THIS CELL PHONE ISSUE.

>> A BIG PART OF THE NEW LAW IS STATE FUNDING.

THE GOVERNOR ALLOCATED 13.5 MILLION IN STATE DOLLARS FOR THIS MEASURE.

SOME SCHOOLS AND EDUCATION GROUPS SAY THEY PLAN TO ADVOCATE FOR MORE FUNDING IN THE NEXT STATE BUDGET CYCLE FOR IMPLEMENTATION COSTS, SUCH AS INCREASE TRANSLATION SERVICES AND PHONE POUCHES.

SOME STATE LAWMAKERS SAY, COME BUDGET CYCLE, THEY ARE READY TO FIGHT FOR WHAT SCHOOLS NEED AS THIS PROCESS UNFOLDS.

ELISE KLINE, NEW YORK NOW.

>> AND FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE CELL PHONE BAN, YOU CAN VISIT OUR WEBSITE.

THAT'S AT NYNOW.ORG.

NOW TURNING TO ANOTHER IMPORTANT TOPIC.

AS WE'VE REPORTED HERE ON THE SHOW, LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR ANTIONIO DELGADO ANNOUNCED HIS CAMPAIGN TO CHALLENGE HIS CURRENT BOSS, GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL, BACK IN JUNE.

BUT EVEN BEFORE THAT CAMPAIGN ANNOUCEMENT, THE PAIR SEEMED TO NOT BE ON THE SAME PAGE FOR SOME TIME.

WITH JUST A FEW MONTHS BEFORE THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY AND A VERY PUBLIC SPLIT, MANY POLITICAL OBSERVERS HAVE WONDERED WHAT DOES THE DAY TO DAY WORKLOAD FOR THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR LOOK LIKE.

FOR MORE ON THAT, WE'RE JOINED BY BILL MAHONEY OF POLITICO.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US BACK IN THE STUDIO, BILL.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>> NOW YOU'VE BEEN DOING SOME REALLY INCREDIBLE REPORTING ON THE CURRENT WORKLOAD OF LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR ANTONIO DELGADO.

WHAT HAVE YOU FOUND?

>> WELL, WE'VE DEFINITELY WOUND UP IN A WEIRD SPACE IN NEW YORK WITH LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR.

THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR'S JOB IS A PRETTY NEBULOUS JOB CONSTITUTIONALLY.

THERE ARE NOT REALLY MANY POWERS ASSOCIATED WITH IT.

YOU TAKE OVER FOR THE GOVERNOR IF THEY LEAVE OFFICE FOR SOME REASON, AS WE HAVE SEEN HAPPEN WITH A COUPLE OF OUR RECENT GOVERNORS HERE IN NEW YORK.

AND YOU PRESIDE OVER THE SENATE.

BUT THAT'S ABOUT IT.

SO IT'S NOT A LOT TO DO MOST OF THE TIME, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THE ROLE OF PRESIDING OVER THE SENATE HAS BECOME A BIT LESS IMPORTANT THAN WHAT IT ONCE WAS.

IF PEOPLE HAVE WATCHED THE UNITED STATES SENATE, THEY'VE PROBABLY SEEN TIMES WHERE THE VICE PRESIDENT ACTS AS LIKE THE TIEBREAKER ON CERTAIN VOTES AND HELPS THINGS GET DONE.

THE POWERS IN NEW YORK ARE SOMEWHAT SIMILAR.

AND THAT DID COME UP A LOT FOR MANY YEARS BECAUSE WE HAD A DECADE, BASICALLY, WHERE THE SENATE, WE WOULD SEE A 32, 31 SPLIT, 31, 31, THINGS LIKE THAT, WHERE THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR ACTUALLY COULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE, IN THEORY, WITH A CASTING VOTE TO BREAK THESE TIES.

BUT WE'VE BEEN, SINCE 2018, BASICALLY, IN A SITUATION WHERE DEMOCRATS HAVE SO MANY SPARE VOTES THAT THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR BEING THERE DOESN'T REALLY DO A WHOLE LOT.

SO IN THE END, THAT MEANS THAT THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR'S OFFICIAL POWERS ARE BASICALLY NOTHING AND IT'S EVOLVED ESPECIALLY SINCE ANDREW CUOMO TOOK OFFICE WHERE THEY ARE AS FORMER LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR BOB DUFFY DESCRIBED IT THE CHEERLEADER FOR THE GOVERNOR WHERE MOST OF THEIR WORK HAS BEEN TRAVELING THE STATE GOING TO THOSE CORNERS OF THE STATE THAT THE GOVERNOR WHO'S GOING TO BE TRAPPED IN ALBANY OR MANHATTAN FOR MEETINGS A LOT OF THE TIME, WON'T NECESSARILY BE ABLE TO HIT UP EVERY YEAR, AND TALK ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN ALBANY, KIND OF BE THAT CONNECTION BETWEEN THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH AT THE STATE LEVEL AND THE PEOPLE IN LIKE THE SOUTHERN TIER OF THE NORTH COUNTRY WHO MIGHT NOT MEET THE GOVERNOR ON A WEEKLY BASIS, PROMOTING WHAT THE GOVERNOR IS DOING, TOUTING THEIR BUDGETS, ET CETERA.

BUT NOW THAT LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR DELGADO IS RUNNING AGAINST GOVERNOR HOCHUL, UNSURPRISINGLY, HE'S NOT OUT THERE TALKING ABOUT WHAT A GREAT JOB GOVERNOR HOCHUL IS DOING.

HE'S NOT OUT THERE PROMOTING HER AGENDA AND IT'S LED TO SOMEWHAT OF A WEIRD SITUATION WHERE WHAT IS A LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR ACTUALLY DOING IF THEY'RE NOT DOING THE ONE THING THAT LIEUTENANT GOVERNORS HAVE DONE FOR THE BETTER PART OF 15 YEARS IN NEW YORK?

>> YEAH.

AND YOU DID SOME AWESOME REPORTING WHEN IT COMES TO, YOU KNOW, FILING A FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUESTS TO GET THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR'S PUBLIC SCHEDULE.

SO WHAT DID YOU FIND THROUGH THAT PROCESS?

>> WELL, THE FUNNY THING ABOUT ALL THIS IS THAT THIS HAS LED TO A SITUATION IN THIS PRIMARY WHERE IT'S AN ENTIRELY NEBULOUS BLACK HOLE SITUATION WHERE NOBODY CAN REALLY FIGURE OUT FOR SURE WHAT IS GOING ON.

LIKE AS SOON AS THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR ANNOUNCED THE CHALLENGE, THE GOVERNOR BASICALLY CRACKED DOWN, SAYING, ALL RIGHT, IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BE A TEAM PLAYER, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET SUPPORT FROM THE TEAM.

TOOK AWAY MOST OF HIS STAFF.

HE DOESN'T EVEN HAVE A STATE CELL PHONE ANYMORE.

HE'S DOWN TO ONE STAFF WHO I BELIEVE IS TECHNICALLY ON THE SENATE PAYROLL.

AND HIS OFFICE SPACE IS BASICALLY NOTHING LIKE ONE BIG SUITE OF OFFICES IN THE CAPITAL WAS TAKEN AWAY.

THERE IS EVEN SOME OFFICE SPACE THAT HE HAD NEAR HIS HOME IN THE KINGSTON RHINECLIFF AREA THAT WAS BASICALLY SHARED SPACE WITH THE PLOWS FOR THE BRIDGES IN THAT REGION, JUST A DESK THAT HE COULD WORK ON IF HE WANTED AN OFFICIAL DESK CLOSE TO HOME, IF SOMETHING HAPPENED ON A SATURDAY AND HE WANTED TO GO INTO THE OFFICE.

EVEN THAT WAS TAKEN AWAY, A DESK THAT WAS BEING USED FOR NOTHING ELSE.

I DON'T BELIEVE IT'S BEING USED FOR ANYTHING THESE DAYS.

THE GOVERNOR TOOK ALL THAT STUFF AWAY FROM HIM.

>> WOW.

>> SO PART OF THAT, THOUGH, TOO MEANS THAT IN THEORY YOU CAN SEE WHAT A PUBLIC OFFICIAL IS DOING BY SUBMITTING A REQUEST TO SEE THEIR SCHEDULES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE ANYBODY LEFT WHO CAN FULFILL A FOIL REQUEST TO LET YOU SEE WHAT THEY'RE DOING, AND THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE ISN'T IN COMMUNICATION WITH HIM SO THEY CAN'T REALLY FULFILL THAT.

SO IT MEANS THAT THERE'S NO WAY LEFT OF KNOWING WHAT EXACTLY ONE OF THE FOUR TOP OFFICIALS IN NEW YORK STATE IS ACTUALLY DOING WITH THEIR TIME.

>> YEAH.

AND THE WAY YOU SEE IT, IS THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR SORT OF VICTIM OF HIS POLITICAL CIRCUMSTANCE OR IS HE SIMPLY MIA?

WHAT IS YOUR READ ON THINGS?

>> WELL, IT'S TOUGH FOR SOMEBODY LIKE HIM TO DO ANYTHING WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF A GOVERNOR.

LIKE HE DOESN'T SET THE BUDGET, THE LEGISLATURE IS NOT GOING TO GO TO WAR FOR HIM AND TRY TO GET MORE STAFFERS FOR HIM OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

SO THERE'S NOT A TON HE CAN REALLY DO.

THE GOVERNOR'S NOT GOING TO DELEGATE HIM TO BE HER PERSON WHO PARTICIPATES IN, YOU KNOW, SOME BUSINESS NEGOTIATIONS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

SO ALL THOSE POWERS ARE TAKEN AWAY AND HE'S KIND OF LEFT WITH JUST, YOU KNOW, IF HE WANTS TO SHOW UP TO THE STATE HE CAN DO THAT.

BUT WITH ONE STAFFER THAT'S TOUGH.

WE DO KNOW THAT HE HASN'T DONE TOO MUCH OF THAT.

I KNOW THAT WHEN HE ANNOUNCED IN LATE FEBRUARY THAT HE WAS RUNNING, UP UNTIL THE SUMMER HE ONLY HAD SIX OFFICIAL PUBLIC EVENTS THAT HE HAD ANNOUNCED IN ADVANCE, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, NOT MUCH MORE THAN ONCE PER MONTH IN TERMS OF LIKE OFFICIAL PUBLIC APPEARANCES, COMPARED TO SEVERAL MORE CAMPAIGN EVENTS, CERTAINLY, AND HE'S KEPT BUSY WITH THOSE.

>> YEAH, AND HOW DID WE GET TO THIS POINT IN WHICH WE'RE SEEING A VERY PUBLIC SPLIT BETWEEN THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR AND GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL?

OBVIOUSLY, THEY RAN TOGETHER ON THE SAME TICKET, AND NOW THEY'RE DEFINITELY BREAKING AWAY FROM ONE ANOTHER.

WHAT CAUSED THAT DIVISION BETWEEN THE TWO?

>> WELL, THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR'S JOB IS A TOUGH JOB FOR AN AMBITIOUS POLITICIAN.

YOU'RE BASICALLY OUT THERE PROMOTING WHAT SOMEBODY ELSE IS DOING.

YOU'RE NOT NECESSARILY THE FACE OF THE ADMINISTRATION OR DECIDING WHAT GETS DONE BECAUSE YOU'RE A SUPPORTING ROLE.

THAT'S WHAT THE JOB HAS BECOME, FOR THE MOST PART.

I KNOW THAT THEY'VE HAD SOME SPLITS INTERNALLY OVER THINGS LIKE THE GOVERNOR'S CHOICE FOR A TOP JUDGE IN THE STATE A COUPLE YEARS AGO, AND THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR FELT HE WAS NOT LISTENED TO ON THAT AND THAT HELPED DRIVE THE DRIVE THE DIVISIONS.

BUT, CERTAINLY, WE'VE SEEN THESE TENSIONS IN THE PAST, NOT TO THIS DEGREE SINCE THE 1990S, CERTAINLY, BUT WHERE LIEUTENANT GOVERNORS HAVE BEEN UNHAPPY, BECAUSE THEY TO BECOME A LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, TO WIN AN ELECTION AT THE STATEWIDE LEVEL, YOU NEED TO BE A PRETTY TALENTED ELECTED OFFICIAL, A PRETTY TALENTED POLITICIAN.

BUT ONCE YOU'RE IN OFFICE, YOU DON'T REALLY ACTUALLY GET TO DO ANYTHING OF YOUR OWN WITH THAT.

AND IT'S NOT TOO TOUGH FOR THAT TO LEAD TO THESE SPLITS.

>> RIGHT.

AND ONE OF THE MOST REVELATORY POINTS IN THIS FOR ME WAS WHEN WE SAW THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR SORT OF BREAK AWAY FROM GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL AND CALLING ON PRESIDENT BIDEN OR THEN PRESIDENT BIDEN TO DROP OUT OF THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE LAST YEAR.

SO, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS SUCH A BIG MOMENT.

AND I THINK WE'RE SEEING THE TRICKLE DOWN EFFECTS OF THAT.

AND WHEN IT COMES TO THE CAMPAIGN OF THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF HIS STRATEGY?

IS HE RESONATING WITH NEW YORKERS?

>> IT'S EARLY TO SAY RIGHT NOW.

HE HAS NOT REALLY DONE A LOT SO FAR.

HE ANNOUNCED IN FEBRUARY THAT HE WAS NOT GOING TO BE RERUNNING FOR ELECTION AND EVERYBODY KIND OF KNEW AT THAT POINT HE'D BE RUNNING AGAINST HER.

AND HE OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED THEN MUCH LATER IN THE SPRING THAT HE WOULD BE RUNNING.

SO WE'VE HAD A FEW MONTHS OF A CAMPAIGN AND WE'RE GETTING CLOSE TO A YEAR IN WHICH EVERYBODY KNEW THIS WAS HAPPENING.

WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANY SURGE IN THE POLLS.

HIS FUNDRAISING'S BEEN FINE, BUT IT HASN'T BEEN EYE POPPING OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

BUT THAT BEING SAID, IT'S VERY EARLY.

I THINK MOST PEOPLE RIGHT NOW WHO ARE PAYING ATTENTION TO THE NEWS AREN'T PAYING ATTENTION TO A GUBERNATORIAL PRIMARY IN NEW YORK THAT'S NEXT JUNE.

THEY'RE PROBABLY JUST LASER FOCUSSED ON WASHINGTON FOR THE MOST PART.

AND IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN HOW WELL HE CAN GET SOME MOMENTUM ONCE PEOPLE START PAYING ATTENTION, MAYBE FEBRUARY, MARCH, APRIL OF NEXT YEAR.

HE'S CERTAINLY BEEN GOING AROUND THE STATE AND TALKING TO GROUPS THAT MIGHT BE SUPPORTIVE OF HIM AND CAN HELP GET THE WORD OUT, BUT WE WON'T REALLY KNOW FOR SURE WHETHER THAT WILL LEAD TO A JUMP IN HIS POLLS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT UNTIL WE HIT THE POINT WHERE PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY THINKING PRIMARILY ABOUT THE GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION WHEN THEY THINK OF POLITICS.

BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, IT'S ALL TRUMP ALL THE TIME.

IT'S TOUGH FOR CANDIDATES TO RESONATE AND MAKE THEIR CANDIDACIES KNOWN FOR 90% OF THE STATE.

>> YEAH.

AND AS YOU MADE IT CLEAR TO US, THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR CURRENTLY DOESN'T HAVE A VERY HEAVY WORKLOAD.

SO DO YOU THINK THAT THAT WILL HELP OR HINDER HIM WHEN IT COMES TO CAMPAIGNING AND SHOWING NEW YORKERS THAT HE'S READY TO LEAD THE STATE?

>> WELL, IT'S TOUGH TO SAY, BECAUSE ONE THING THAT HAS HELPED LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR IS WHEN KATHY HOCHUL WENT FROM BEING LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR TO GOVERNOR, EVERYBODY IN THE STATE HAD SOME STORY OF THE TIME.

SHE WAS SHOWING UP TO THEIR LOCAL VETERANS CLUB OR MARCHING IN THE LOCAL PARADE.

I THINK SHE PROBABLY HAD TAKEN SELFIES WITH A MEASURABLE PERCENTAGE OF THE STATE AT SOME POINT IN THE PRIOR EIGHT YEARS BEFORE SHE IS ELEVATED.

AND HE DOESN'T REALLY HAVE THAT IF HE'S NOT OUT THERE TRAVELING THE STATE ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNOR.

THAT'S TAKING AWAY ONE OF HIS GREATEST STRENGTHS.

ON THE OTHER HAND, THAT GIVES HIM MORE TIME TO CAMPAIGN, CERTAINLY.

IF HE WAS BUSY WITH STATE BUSINESS, HE COULD NOT NECESSARILY BE OUT THERE FOCUSED ON FUNDRAISING OR SHOWING UP TO RALLIES AS OFTEN AS HE MIGHT NOW.

BUT IT'S CERTAINLY CLEAR THAT THE GOVERNOR SUPPORTERS ARE GOING TO USE THIS TO ATTACK HIM AS LAZY, NOT REALLY FOCUSED ON THE JOB AND JUST BEING AMBITIOUS AND NOT REALLY INTERESTED IN WHAT HE SHOULD BE DOING FOR HIS DAY JOB, WHAT HE'S GETTING PAID BY TAXPAYERS TO DO RIGHT NOW.

WE'LL SEE IF MOST VOTERS ACTUALLY CARE ABOUT ATTACKS THAT THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR IS NOT FOCUSED ON BEING LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, IF THEY EVEN KNOW WHAT A LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR SHOULD BE DOING, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT THE HOCHUL TEAM WILL BE TRYING TO USE.

>> AND LASTLY, YOU KNOW, IN THE TIME, IN THE SHORT TIME WE HAVE LEFT, DO YOU SEE THERE BEING A WAY FOR THE TWO TO SORT OF REPAIR THEIR RELATIONSHIP BEFORE THE JUNE PRIMARY?

>> I DON'T ANTICIPATE THEM REALLY GETTING ALONG ANYTIME SOON.

WHEN HOCHUL WAS LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR HERSELF, SHE HAD ALWAYS DESCRIBED THE JOB AS BEING JOE BIDEN TO BARACK OBAMA.

THE JOB IS SUPPOSED TO BE ONE WHERE YOU'RE THERE TO BE THEIR FRIEND, TO OFFER THEM WISDOM, TO SUPPORT THEM, TO HELP BOOST THEIR AGENDA, AND SHE WAS VERY AGAINST, IN HER OWN PRIMARIES WHEN SHE RAN FOR LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR IN 2014 AND 2018, SHE WAS VERY OPPOSED TO THIS IDEA THAT LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR WOULD BE ANYTHING BUT A LOYAL ALLY OF THE GOVERNOR.

SOME OF HER OPPONENTS SAID IT SHOULD BE AN INDEPENDENT OFFICE.

AND SHE SAID, NO, IT'S A SUPPORTING JOB.

AND I THINK HER SECOND PICK FOR THIS JOB, SPLITTING WITH HER THE WAY THAT HE DID, IS REALLY GOING TO RUB HER THE WRONG WAY AND IT'S GOING TO BE TOUGH TO IMAGINE A SCENARIO WHERE THEY ARE FRIENDS BEFORE NEXT JUNE.

>> RIGHT.

WELL, UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE FOR TODAY.

BUT WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR AWESOME REPORTING, THOUGH.

>> THANK YOU.

>> AND WE WERE SPEAKING WITH BILL MAHONEY OF POLITICO.

WELL, THAT DOES IT FOR THIS EDITION OF NEW YORK NOW.

THANK YOU FOR TUNING IN AND SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

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