A bill setting a maximum temperature for public school classrooms across New York was signed into law by Gov. Hochul.

The law signed Friday takes effect Sept. 1, 2025, and requires instructors to address heat conditions once temperatures reach 82. They are advised to close blinds and use fans or air conditioning if the school is equipped.

If temperatures reach 88, students would be forced to vacate the space. Instruction would need to move to a cooler location or students would be sent home.

New York State United Teachers, the state’s largest teachers union with around 700,000 members, had been advocating for the law.

“Today, we celebrate a monumental step forward for the health and safety of students and educators across New York,” NYSUT President Melinda Pearson said in a statement.