Gov. Murphy calls for cellphone ban for New Jersey schools in State of the State address
NEW JERSEY (WABC) -- New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy gave his State of the State Address on Tuesday afternoon, which included discussions on housing affordability, public safety, and economic improvement.
The address highlighted his administration's progress over the past seven years in raising wages, creating jobs and unleashing a new era of economic opportunity.
He also announced his support for a new proposal to ban cell phones from K-12 classrooms in school districts across the state.
That bill was introduced in the state senate over the summer and Murphy offered strong words of support for making sure the legislation is passed.
"Today, our children are inundated with screens. And if you ask just about any educator, they will tell you that mobile devices are a distraction in the classroom," he said. "They are fueling a rise in cyberbullying. And they are making it incredibly difficult for our kids, not only to learn, but to retain the substance of what they learn. Honestly, is it any surprise that the rise in smartphone usage has coincided with a growing youth mental health crisis?"
He said he will not sit back as children suffer.
Right now, school districts can make their own rules on cellphones. At many schools across the state, students are required to lock their phones in pouches or leave them in their lockers until the end of the school day.
Others say they can have them with them -- they just can't have them out during school.
Murphy also said during his address that he's planning to build up a supply of medication used in abortions ahead of President-elect Donald Trump's second administration.
Murphy is one of a handful of Democratic governors who criticized Trump on the campaign trail yet now say they're open to cooperation. But Murphy said he will not back down in the face of "anti-choice" policies supported by the Republican majorities in Congress.
Murphy said the state will stockpile mifepristone "so every woman can access this crucial form of reproductive care."
Tuesday's speech came ahead of Murphy's eighth - and last- year in office.
"Eight years ago, I ran for this office on a vision to help every New Jerseyan achieve their own American Dream," said Governor Phil Murphy. "That has been the singular goal of our Administration - building a stronger and fairer state for our educators, our caregivers, our entrepreneurs, our veterans, and everyone who keeps our state moving forward. And today, my message to New Jersey is this: I'm not done yet. Over the next year, we are going to run through the tape in delivering economic security and opportunity to every New Jerseyan."
Murphy's vision for the state also coincides with a Democratic Party angling for a way forward and a vote-getting national message after last year's loss to Trump and the GOP victories, narrow as they are, in Congress.
The speech, analogous to the presidential state of the union address but at the state level, amounts to a blueprint for how the governor wants the year to unfold.
Legislation he sought last year to bar debt collectors from divulging patients' medical debts to consumer credit reporting agencies, for instance, was enacted. He also succeeded in getting legislation overhauling how affordable housing requirements are managed in the state.
But the speech can also underscore how limited the governor's power can be. Last year, he called for legislation to permit 16-year-olds to vote in school board elections. The measure hasn't advanced in the Legislature, though he reiterated his call for the bill on Tuesday. He also called for an "artificial intelligence moonshot." So far, a task force the governor established has issued a report calling for the state to embrace generative AI.
On Monday, Hochul also announced that she will also announce cellphone restrictions for New York, but those details were not yet revealed.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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