Watch Hochul's 2026 State of the State address
FULL: Hochul delivers 2026 State of the State
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul delivers her 2026 State of the State address.
NEW YORK - New York Gov. Kathy Hochul delivered her 2026 State of the State address Tuesday afternoon, outlining her priorities for the year ahead as lawmakers prepared for the upcoming legislative session.
In the address, Hochul outlined proposals focused on affordability, public safety and support for families, framing her agenda as a continuation of previous efforts with a renewed emphasis on protecting children, preventing gun violence and expanding access to child care.
What we know:
Protecting children online
A teenager presents a smartphone with the logo of Chinese social network Tik Tok, on January 21, 2021 in Nantes, western France. (Photo by LOIC VENANCE / AFP) (Photo by LOIC VENANCE/AFP via Getty Images)
Among the proposals Hochul highlighted were new measures aimed at protecting children online, including legislation designed to shield kids from predators, scammers and harmful AI chatbots by strengthening age-verification requirements and default privacy settings on digital platforms.
Hochul also pushed new gun-safety proposals targeting 3D-printed and other illegal firearms, including tougher criminal penalties, expanded reporting requirements for law enforcement and new safety standards for manufacturers.
Gun violence
Hochul is also expected to push new gun safety proposals targeting 3D-printed and other illegal firearms, including tougher criminal penalties, expanded reporting requirements for law enforcement, and new safety standards for manufacturers.
Universal childcare
Stopping the traffic in New York City as pre schoolers cross the road with their supervisors on 42nd Street outside Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan, New York, USA. 30th September 2014. Photo Tim Clayton (Photo by Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Imag
Another major focus is expected to be universal child care. Hochul is likely to outline plans to expand statewide universal prekindergarten, partner with New York City to offer free child care for two-year-olds, and broaden subsidies to make child care more affordable for working families.
ICE in NYC
Federal agents wait outside a courtroom at New York Federal Plaza Immigration Court at the Jacob K. Javitz Federal Building in New York City on August 20, 2025. US President Donald Trump has made deporting undocumented immigrants a key priority for h
Hochul also proposed legislation allowing New Yorkers to sue federal officers in state court for alleged violations of their U.S. constitutional rights, framing the move as a response to increasingly aggressive federal immigration enforcement.
Under the proposal, individuals would be authorized to bring civil actions against federal officers under the same legal standards that already apply to state and local law enforcement, including qualified-immunity protections for officers acting within clearly established law.
Ban on protests
Hochul proposed legislation aimed at protecting so-called sensitive locations — including schools, hospitals, child care centers and houses of worship — from civil immigration enforcement without a judicial warrant.
The proposal followed recent federal policy changes that rolled back longstanding limits on warrantless immigration enforcement at those locations, changes Hochul said disrupted public safety, access to care and trust in critical community institutions.
She also advanced legislation to establish buffer zones around houses of worship and health care facilities, aimed at protecting people from harassment, intimidation and obstruction while preserving the right to lawful expression.
Universal child care
Another major focus of the address was universal child care. Hochul outlined plans to expand statewide universal prekindergarten, partner with New York City to offer free child care for two-year-olds and broaden subsidies to make child care more affordable for working families.
What's next:
The cost of Hochul’s proposals has not been determined.
Details are expected to be released when the governor unveils her executive budget.
The Source: This article uses information from the New York Governor's office website.