Governor Kathy Hochul will deliver her State of the State Address on Tuesday (January 13) at the Hart Theatre at The Egg in Albany. The address is scheduled for 1 p.m. and will outline her administration's priorities and initiatives for the coming year.

In anticipation of the address, Governor Hochul has already announced several key initiatives. Last week, she unveiled a proposal for free pre-kindergarten (pre-K) across New York State, aiming to provide access to all four-year-olds by the 2028-2029 school year. Additionally, the plan includes free childcare for two-year-olds in New York City, a move made in partnership with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

Governor Hochul's proposal represents a significant investment in childcare, with a commitment of $1.7 billion in the near term, bringing the total childcare and pre-K spending to $4.5 billion for the upcoming fiscal year. This initiative is part of a broader effort to make childcare more affordable and accessible, aiming to benefit nearly 100,000 additional children statewide.

Mayor Mamdani, who recently took office, views the partnership as a transformative step toward reducing the city's high cost of living. The program will initially focus on high-need areas and gradually expand to cover more families over the next few years.

The announcement has been met with optimism, with advocates calling it a "historic moment" for New York families. The initiative will be included in Governor Hochul's State of the State Address and her executive budget proposal, which will undergo further discussions with state legislative leaders.

Christa Cooper