Hochul wants schools to ban smartphones and other internet-enabled devices before the next school year. Lawmakers are open to it.

Gov. Kathy Hochul proposed a “bell-to-bell” ban on smartphones and other devices in her budget plan unveiled Tuesday — a prohibition that comes with a surprise $13.5 million bill. The eight-figure outlay will help schools statewide set up their own policies on banishing electronic distractions,

A $252 billion New York budget plan by Gov. Kathy Hochul would ban student cell phones during school and hike school aid by at least 2% per district.