Sen. Gounardes, AM Rozic Applaud Gov. Hochul For Including Legislation To Protect Kids Online in State Budget

Governor's decision to address rampant child exploitation online will force Roblox, Discord other gaming companies to enact stronger privacy protections and stop financial abuse on their platforms

ALBANY, NY (01/20/2026) (readMedia)-- Today, Governor Hochul announced in her FY2027 Executive Budget proposal support for key provisions of the Stop Online Predators Act (SOPA), legislation to protect children from online predators and prevent financial exploitation on gaming platforms. In response, SOPA Senate sponsor Andrew Gounardes and Assembly sponsor Nily Rozic issued the following statement commending the Governor:

"Parents should not have to worry that their kids are being targeted by predators while they play video games with their friends online. Thankfully, Governor Hochul has shown a commitment to protecting children, and we commend her for continuing that leadership by including key portions of our Stop Online Predators Act in her budget.

"Once passed, our legislation will require gaming and social media companies like Roblox and Discord to strengthen privacy protections and implement meaningful safeguards so their platforms are no longer a place for rampant grooming of children. We thank the Governor for taking action on this issue, and look forward to working with the Legislature to ensure the rest of our bill becomes law."