The Capitol Pressroom

Dec. 26, 2025- In light of Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani becoming mayor of New York City in a few days, we dug into The Capitol Pressroom archives and we're dedicating the entire show to some of our past conversations. The appearances include the summer of 2020 after winning a Democratic Assembly primary, March of 2021 during his first few months at the Capitol, May 2022 when we dove into "Stranger Things," and a 2023 exploration of West Bank politics. We hope these interviews shed a little light on the personality and evolution of the future leader of the Big Apple.

Dec. 24, 2025- Assemblymember Demond Meeks, a Rochester Democrat, discusses the implementation of the "Raise the Age" law in New York, including the needs to spend allocated resources.

Dec. 24, 2025- The issue of title insurance is getting increased attention in New York because of efforts to curb deed theft and changes to the state's land acquisition process. We discuss these moving parts and more with John Kenealy, a vice president for Chicago Title in their Syracuse office.

Dec. 23, 2025- Politico New York reporter Marie French discusses the significance of the recently adopted state energy plan and what it indicates about the future priorities of the Hochul administration.

Dec. 23, 2025- A new fee from the state Thruway Authority that is scheduled for 2026 is getting pushback from the commercial interests that use New York's super-highway system. We talk about the charge with Darrin Roth, vice president of highway policy with the American Trucking Associations.

Dec. 23, 2025- Jimmy Vielkind, a capitol reporter for Gothamist & WNYC, shares his experience tailing case workers deployed to 9-1-1 calls by the Albany Police Department and considers how this model could be expanded.

Dec. 23, 2025- New York State Energy Research & Development Authority President & CEO Doreen Harris explains how the state's energy plan fits with New York's green energy goals and what the future of offshore wind could look like.

Dec. 22, 2025- Rebecca Zangen, chief policy officer for the Supportive Housing Network for New York, makes the case for greater government investment into services and housing subsidies for New Yorkers who struggle to live independently.

Dec. 22, 2025- Businessman Joseph Hernandez explains why he is hoping to be the Republican state comptroller candidate in 2026 and discusses how he would use the office if elected.

Dec. 19, 2025- Assembly Judiciary Committee Chair Chuck Lavine, a Long Island Democrat, talks about his legislation designed to address the shortcomings of the state's guardianship system, which is failing elderly New Yorkers.

Dec. 19, 2025- We check in with Zeryai Hagos, executive director of the New York State Office of Renewable Energy Siting and Electric Transmission, to discuss new rules designed to speed up the permitting of new transmission projects.

Dec. 18, 2025- As New York policymakers consider a pathway to universal child care access, afterschool services will need to make up part of that continuum of care. We discuss an expansion of high-quality afterschool care with Alli Lidie, CEO of New York State Network for Youth Success, and Jenn O'Connor, a consultant specializing in services for working families.

Dec. 18, 2025- Association of School Boards and Business Officials of New York Executive Director Brian Cechnicki talks about state support for school districts to provide services to English Language Learners and how funding might be tweaked.

Dec. 18, 2025- Seneca Nation President J. Conrad Seneca makes the case for legislation fostering a stronger working relationship between local law enforcement and Indian Nations trying to combat illegal activity, like drug trafficking.

Dec. 17, 2025- New York League of Conservation Voters President Julie Tighe discusses new emissions data being collected from polluters by state environmental officials and makes the case for taking additional steps to reduce pollution.

Dec. 17, 2025- We check in with New York State Restaurant Association President & CEO Melissa Fleischut, and restaurateur Dominick Purnomo talk about changes to New York's alcohol laws and why restaurants want a break from credit card fees.

Dec. 17, 2025- Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, a Bronx Democrat, talks about his recent colonoscopy and why he's encouraging other New Yorkers to get a preventative screening.

Dec. 16, 2025- State Sen. Patrick Gallivan, an Erie County Republican, shares his reservations about legislation on the governor's desk that is supposed to increase accountability and oversight in New York's prisons.

Dec. 16, 2025 - Medical respite care is being pushed as a cheaper alternative than prolonged hospital stays for New Yorkers without a place to recuperate. We discuss how an expansion of this service might happen in New York with Jody Rudin, president and CEO of the Institute for Community Living.

Dec. 16, 2025- We go over the budget list wish for county prosecutors in 2026 with Rensselaer County District Attorney Mary Pat Donnelly, who is president of the District Attorneys Association of the State of New York. We talk about funding requests and potential policy changes for the legislative session.

Dec. 15, 2025- It's open enrollment season in the state's health insurance marketplace for New Yorkers without an employer-sponsored health insurance option and who earn too much to qualify for a government-run plan. We discuss this market, including the higher costs as the result of expiring federal subsidies, with Danielle Holahan, executive director for New York State of Health.

Dec. 12, 2025- New York State Sheriffs' Association Executive Director Peter Kehoe discusses a new law designed to give sheriffs and police chiefs a larger pool of qualified candidates to hire.

Dec. 12, 2025- Assemblymember Josh Jensen, a Rochester-area Republican, talks about the impact of federal policies on access to health insurance in New York and considers how to make health care more accessible.

Dec. 11, 2025- New York State Office for People with Developmental Disabilities Commissioner Willow Baer discusses investments in the workforce serving New Yorkers with developmental disabilities, promoting self-directed care, cutting red tape, and agency priorities in 2026 and beyond.

Dec. 11, 2025- Policymakers of all stripes in New York are talking about increasing access to child care, but there isn't a consensus on how to get there. We explore some possible next steps to take in 2026 with Pete Nabozny, director of policy for The Children's Agenda.

Dec. 10, 2025- Gov. Kathy Hochul vetoed a bill intended to give state property - that no one wanted at auction - a new life with non-profit organizations, instead of turning it into trash. We talk about the proposal with SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry Director of Sustainability Sue Fassler.

Dec. 10, 2025- Assemblymember Tony Simone, a Manhattan Democrat, discusses a bill that would require the state to create an online database tracking the deployment of federal immigration officials in New York.

Dec. 10 , 2025- A common accounting practice being pushed by financial institutions and their attorneys during foreclosure proceedings is costing New Yorkers money they should be entitled to. We explore this consumer protection issue with Chris Bragg, Albany bureau chief at New York Focus, and David Brand, a housing journalist with WNYC & Gothamist, the journalists who exposed this ongoing practice.

Dec. 9 2025- In order to increase access to mental health courts, state policymakers are allowing for referrals from counties without mental health courts. We discuss this diversion program with James Norton, government and community affairs manager for the New York State affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

Dec. 9, 2025- New York State Association for Affordable Housing President & CEO Carlina Rivera makes the case for increased subsidies to preserve and develop affordable housing, considers how to reduce residential insurance costs, and addresses legislative efforts to get the state into the business of affordable housing constructions.

Dec. 8, 2025 - In light of an update to the process for requesting absentee ballots for school elections, we consider what else could be done to drive up turnout in these low-turnout races with Bob Lowry, deputy director for New York State Council of School Superintendents.

Dec. 8, 2025 - Albany County Legislature Chairwoman Joanne Cunningham talks about affordable housing creation, including a possible county-level loan fund and incentives to develop accessory dwelling units.

Dec. 8, 2025 - State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, a Westchester County Democrat, discusses her political future, weighs in on a potential sticking point for the 2026 legislative session, and considers what New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani will need to do to be successful in Planet Albany.

Dec. 5, 2025- New York law has a goal of reducing child poverty in half by 2032 and there is still a long way to go in achieving this initiative set back in 2021. We get a progress report and list of recommendations from Kate Breslin, head of the Schuyler Center for Analysis & Advocacy and a member of the state Child Poverty Reduction Advisory Council.

Dec. 5, 2025- New York policymakers and cannabis regulators are hoping that a "seed-to-sale" tracking system will prevent illegal marijuana products from ending up on legal dispensary shelves in the Empire State. We talk with Michael Johnson, CEO of Metrc, the company implementing the tracking system, about their role in stopping inversion.

Dec. 4, 2025- After years of anticipation, plus some twists and turns along the way, there is clarity about the awarding of New York's three final casino licenses. We explore the latest news and what comes next with Bennett Liebman, who helped write the law that led to an expansion of casino gambling in New York.

Dec. 4, 2025- The headwinds may be blowing against New York's offshore wind industry, but they're still hoping to lay the groundwork for future projects in the Empire State. We explore the landscape with Alicia Gené Artessa, executive director of the New York Offshore Wind Alliance.

Dec. 4, 2025- New York State Secretary of State Walter Mosley discusses the professional licensing his office oversees, including how they ensure their requirements are relevant. We also asked him whether he wants to be Gov. Kathy Hochul's running mate next year.

Dec. 3, 2025- In response to federal cuts and competition from other states, New York's medical schools are calling for a $500 million state investment in the life sciences infrastructure. We talk about building up this industry with Jonathan Teyan, president and CEO of Associated Medical Schools of New York.

Dec. 3, 2025- Republican Khurram Dara is hoping to be his party's nominee for state attorney general in 2026, so he joins us to discuss his vision for the office, where he fits in today's GOP, and why he thinks AG Tish James has politicized her role.

Dec. 2, 2025- Efforts to conserve thousands of acres of land in New York have been delayed by the state attorney general's office's burdensome process for approving property ownership, but that era may become a distant memory. We discuss the planned changes to the land owner verification process with Stu Gruskin, a senior advisor for The Nature Conservancy in New York.

Dec. 2, 2025- State environmental regulators have breathed new life into a gas pipeline proposal, which was previously stopped in its tracks during the same permitting process. We explore this reversal by the Hochul administration with Samantha Maldonado, a senior reporter with The City.

Dec. 2, 2025- For a decade state policymakers have been grappling with how to get their bang for their buck from a nearly $1 billion investment in Buffalo. With this story entering a new chapter, we talk with Jimmy Vielkind, a Capitol reporter for Gothamist & WNYC.

Nov. 26, 2025 - New York energy officials are retooling a program designed to prepare sites for renewable energy projects after it failed to generate much interest after five years. We consider why it wasn't more successful with Peter Keen, an attorney with Barclay Damon and decades of energy regulatory experience.

Nov. 26, 2025 - Changes at the federal level could have major implications for the hemp-derived THC products on sale in New York. We consider this evolving landscape and the potential state response with Katie Neer, a lobbyist with Dickinson & Avella.

Nov. 26, 2025 - State Sen. James Skoufis, an Orange County Democrat, shares insights he gleaned from a recent hearing into the cost of residential property insurance and discusses possible actions lawmakers might take in 2026.

Nov. 26, 2025 - State Sen. Kristen Gonzalez, a Queens Democrat, makes the case for legislation designed to prevent residential ratepayers from shouldering the energy infrastructure costs of large data centers.

Nov. 25, 2025- After more than a decade, the state has satisfied its obligations to transition mentally ill New Yorkers out of adult homes and into supportive housing as part of a lawsuit filed after a New York Times series in 2002. We discuss the implementation of the settlement with Clarence Sundram, a court-appointed monitor for vulnerable people, who also addresses oversight responsibilities by the state and the ramifications of Medicaid changes.

Nov. 25, 2025- Erie County Water Authority Chairman Jerry Schad discusses EPA requirements for replacing lead service lines in drinking water systems and how the state can support this transition in the absence of major help from the federal government.

Nov. 25, 2025 - State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli visits the studio to discuss why he wants another four years in office, talks about his handling of the pension fund, and explains his office's approach to audits.

Nov. 24, 2025- We discuss Gov. Kathy Hochul's decision to close a North Country prison and consolidate a western New York facility with Jennifer Scaife, executive director of the Correctional Association of New York, who had made the case for prioritizing the closure of a controversial facility in central New York.