The Capitol Pressroom

Aug. 12, 2026- We explore legislation requiring homeless shelters provide access to high-speed wireless internet. Our guests are Daniel Schwarz, senior privacy and technology strategist for the New York Civil Liberties Union, and Milton Perez, a member of Vocal-NY's homelessness union.

Aug. 12, 2026- We talk to New York Focus senior reporter Sam Mellins about a nursing home operator that appears to be falling short of a legal settlement it entered into after being accused of fraud and neglect by the state attorney general's office.

Aug. 12, 2026- Assemblymember Bobby Carroll, a Brooklyn Democrat, wants to require retailers to disclose the repair scores of electronics to help consumers make informed shopping decisions.

Aug. 11, 2026- National Association Against iGaming Government Relations Director  Oliver Barie makes the case for the continued prohibition of online casino gambling in New York.

Aug. 11, 2026- We unpack the battle between New York Attorney General Letitia James and Kalshi, including the broader fate of predictions markets offering sports gambling. Our guest is attorney Daniel Wallach, who specializes in gambling issues.

Aug. 11, 2026- The Nature Conservancy New York Ocean Programs Director Carl LoBue makes the case for expanding the authority of state environmental officials to regulate false albacore and Atlantic bonito.

Aug. 10, 2026- We get to know Patrick Martinez, who won a tight Democratic primary in June for an open Assembly seat in Western Queens. He discusses why he wants to serve at the Capitol and what he'll prioritize.

Aug. 10, 2026- A report from the state comptroller's office exposes room for improvement in the administration of a state housing program that serves New York veterans with disabilities. Our guest is Tina Kim, deputy comptroller for the Division of State Government Accountability at the Office of the State Comptroller.

Aug. 10, 2026- The marijuana industry is bracing for the ramifications of legislation imposing a wage board on licensed cannabis businesses. We discuss the potential fallout of this measure and the status of cannabis beverage regulation with Katie Neer, of counsel with the lobbying firm Dickinson & Avella.

Aug. 10, 2026- In an excerpt of Dispatches from Planet Albany, we talk to State Sen. Shelley Mayer about her new role as chair of the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee. The Westchester County Democrat also identifies potential pickups in the state senate.

Aug. 7, 2026- We get to know attorney David Siffert, who won a Democratic Primary in June for a downtown Manhattan Assembly seat. We talk about why they ran, where they'll fit into the Assembly and their legislative priorities.

Aug. 7, 2026- State lawmakers are looking to codify a legal settlement requiring New York's Medicaid program to cover medically necessary dental procedures. We talk about the legislation and access to dental services with Belkys Garcia, a staff attorney in the Civil Law Reform Unit at the Legal Aid Society.

Aug. 7, 2026- This week a state law took effect allowing terminally ill New Yorkers to end their lives with the help of a physician. We discuss the implementation of the measure with Nathalie Chara, program director for End of Life Choices New York.

Aug. 6, 2026- We get to know Frank Jereis, who won a Democratic Assembly Primary in June to succeed his retiring boss in a Yonkers-based seat. We discuss his family, the needs of Yonkers schools, and whether he's prepared to buck the Democratic establishment.

Aug. 6, 2026- An independent review of New York's program for court-mandated mental health treatments makes the case that the state should do more to promote voluntary programs. We discuss the findings and the future of the coerced treatment with Dr. Miriam Tepper, chief medical officer at the State Office of Mental Health.

Aug. 6, 2026- Assemblymember Alec Brook-Krasny, a Southern Brooklyn Republican, makes the case for his re-election bid as he prepares for a rematch this fall against Democrat Chris McCreight.

Aug. 5, 2025- New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance Commissioner Barbara Guinn discusses the administration and funding for SNAP benefits, addressing child poverty and whether her office is due for a name change.

Aug. 5, 2026- We are continuing to get to know some of the new faces heading to Albany next year and on this episode we're checking in with attorney David Orkin, a Democratic Socialist who won a Queens Assembly primary in June against incumbent Jenifer Rajkumar.

Aug. 4, 2026 - We sat down with Zoe Jacobs, director of regulatory reform and delivery in the governor's office. We discussed updates to state requirements, identifying outdated rules and regulations with the help of artificial intelligence, and monitored the impact of regulatory changes.

Aug. 4, 2026 - In an excerpt of Dispatches from Planet Albany, Assemblymember Micah Lasher talked about his mandate as Gov. Kathy Hochul's policy director and whether he ever though about deviating from his congressional career trajectory.

Aug. 3, 2026- Assembly Minority Leader Ed Ra, a Long Island Republican, reflects on the legislative session and his ambitions to grow the Assembly GOP conference.

Aug. 3, 2026- New York nonprofits that provide services for survivors of sexual violence are bracing for cuts in funding from the state. We explore what this means for the network of support with Emily Miles, executive director for a coalition of service providers for victims of sexual assault in the state.

July 31, 2026 - State health officials are looking to relax the training requirements for certified nurse aides. We hear pushback to the proposal from Richard Mollot, executive director of the Long Term Care Community Coalition.

July 31, 2026 - We explore how municipal governments may use artificial intelligence with Tyler Traudt, founder and CEO of DebtBook, a software company in business with some New York localities.

July 31, 2026 - New York Focus education reporter Melissa Manno explains the debate between education stakeholders over the authorization of new charter schools in the Empire State.

July 31, 2026 - Oneida-Madison Electric Cooperative CEO Brian Bell discusses the work of rural electric cooperatives and legislation intended to deter the theft and vandalism of utility infrastructure.

July 30, 2026- Jared Cook, senior counsel at the law firm Tully Rinckey, discusses legislative efforts to regulate "ghost job" listings by large employers and explains an expanded protection for employees offered a severance agreement.

July 30, 2026- We get to know public defender Eli Northrup, who will be heading to Albany in 2027 after winning the Democratic primary this summer in an open assembly seat on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.

July 30, 2026- We check in on the state's ethics watchdog, which is hoping to make upgrades to its lobbying database, but didn't get additional funding in the state budget. Our guest is Sandy Berland, executive director of the state Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government.

July 30, 2026- Deputy State Comptroller for Budget and Analysis Maria Doulis talks about an online dashboard tracking migration behaviors by New Yorkers, including high-income earners critical to funding the state budget.

July 29, 2026- We get to know Adam Bojak, a Democratic Socialist who won the Democratic primary for an open Buffalo Assembly seat. We discuss why he's running and how he'll approach work at the Capitol.

July 29, 2026- New York Focus reporter Benjy Sachs has exposed the woeful staffing levels at oversight boards tasked with monitoring the quality of life for vulnerable New Yorkers in the state's care.

July 29, 2026- After more than a decade, the state has satisfied a legal settlement requiring more than 1,000 New Yorkers with special needs get served in community-based programs. We discuss the resolution with Clarence Sundram, an independent monitor for the settlement.

July 29, 2026- International Window Film Association Executive Director Darrell Smith weighs in on legislation that would relax visible light requirements for passenger and rear windows in automobiles.

July 28, 2026- We get to know real estate attorney George Dobbins, the GOP candidate for the 130th Assembly District, a conservative leaning open seat in the Rochester suburbs. We talk about his decision to run, addressing the state's housing supply and requiring identification to vote.

July 28, 2026- We're joined in the studio by Robert Rodriguez, president and CEO of the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York to talk about New York's multi-year investment in building out its swimming pool infrastructure.

July 28, 2026- Gov. Kathy Hochul championed tort reform to bring down car insurance costs, so what other legal liability changes should policymakers consider to address affordability? We consider a range of options from Cary Silverman, a partner with Shook, Hardy & Bacon.

July 27, 2026- Legislation awaiting the governor's signature would require municipal social workers have panic buttons when making a home visit. We consider this safety proposal with Sharon McLennon Wier, executive director of the Center for Independence of the Disabled, New York.

July 27, 2026- Riverkeeper's associate director of government affairs, Jeremey Cherson, makes the case for codifying a formal state committee and staffer to oversee the long-term preservation and health of the Mohawk River basin.

July 27, 2026- We're joined in the studio by Tim Hogues, commissioner of the state Department of Civil Service, which has been responsible for implementing NY HELPS. We unpack the job filling initiative and discuss initial takeaways from a study of private sector compensation versus the public sector.

July 24, 2026 - Public Service Commission CEO and Chair Rory Christian visits the studio to explain how financial penalties are used to incentivize better customer service by New York's utility operators. We also discuss the state utility regulator's role in developing future nuclear power and data center projects.

July 24, 2026 - After decades of stagnant housing subsidies for low-income New Yorkers, the Hochul administration is being taken to court to boost the shelter allowance offerings. We discuss the case and potential remedy with Susan Antos, managing attorney for the benefits practice group at the Empire Justice Center.

July 24, 2026 - One of the country's largest student loan servicers has been playing hard to get with state Sen. Zellnor Myrie, who has been trying for more than six months to get answers about their operations. We talk with the Brooklyn Democrat about his interest in their operations and why he thinks more oversight of this multi-billion dollar industry is warranted.

July 23, 2026 - State lawmakers overwhelmingly backed legislation signing the state up with a multi-state compact allowing psychologists and their patients to work together across borders. We consider the merits of the initiative with Dr. Francis Lee, chair of the psychiatry department at Weill Cornell Medicine.

July 23, 2026 - Assemblyman Phil Steck, a capital region Democrat, makes the case for legislation requiring social media companies to respond to search warrants in a timely fashion.

July 23, 2026 - Assemblyman Tommy John Schiavoni, a Long Island Democrat, talks about his first term in office, including how it compared with his expectations, staying present in the district, and approaching the work with soft eyes.

July 23, 2026 - A concurrent opinion in a case before the state's top court, which was asked to weigh in on New York's "Equal Rights Amendment," sheds new light on how the anti-discrimination language might be utilized in the future. We discuss the issue with legal observer Rob Rosborough.

July 22, 2026 - Politico New York reporter Marie French unpacks Gov. Kathy Hochul's decision to pause state permitting of large data centers for a year.

July 22, 2026 - We discuss an audit of the state's services for survivors of domestic violence with Kelli Owens, executive director at the State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence.

July 22, 2026 - Assemblyman Tommy John Schiavoni, a Long Island Democrat, makes the case for ensuring New Yorkers under the care of a guardian can be visited by family members.

July 22, 2026 - Democrat Dan Norton discusses his bid for an open Assembly seat in the Southern Tier. He talks about why he's running and makes the case for local zoning changes.