The Capitol Pressroom

July 13, 2026 - Northern Rivers Family of Services CEO Bill Gettman shares concerns that behavioral health care providers have about the state's implementation of a settlement to provide mental health services to kids on Medicaid.

July 13, 2026 - Assembly Agriculture Committee Chair Donna Lupardo, a Southern Tier Democrat, has decided to step away from life at the Capitol after more than two decades of elected service. We explore her retirement, why she initially ran for the Assembly and everything in between.

July 10, 2026- We examine the role licensed home care agencies play in the continuum of care for seniors and New Yorkers with disabilities. We also discuss the licensing and oversight of these agencies with Gwen Crossett, founder of ConstantCare247.

July 10, 2026- Democrats in Albany want the Hochul administration to study the viability of smart guns that would only fire in the hands of an authorized user. We discuss the potential of this technology with Kerri Raissian, executive director of Yale School of Public Health's Firearm Injury Prevention Team and a member of the Regional Gun Violence Research Consortium at the Rockefeller Institute of Government.

July 10, 2026- Assemblymember Catalina Cruz, a Queens Democrat, makes the case for legislation ensuring that people giving statements to the police are translated accurately when they aren't proficient in English.

July 10, 2026- We consider legislation that would ban a controversial herbicide that has been linked to Parkinson's Disease and has been restricted by countries. Our guest is Zach Hardy, senior state government relations manager at The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research.

July 9, 2026- We get to know Samantha Kattan, a Democratic Socialist working at a housing nonprofit, who is the presumptive next representative for a western Queens Assembly District after winning an open primary in June.

July 9, 2026- Southern Brooklyn Democrat Chris McCreight explains why he is running for the Assembly again and weighs in on the future leadership of the Brooklyn Democrats.

July 9, 2026- A decade ago New York prohibited elephants from being part of circuses and now Gov. Kathy Hochul will have to decide whether other large animals can be part of traveling exhibitions. We discuss legislation approved at the Capitol with Brian Shapiro, state director in New York at the Humane World for Animals.

July 9, 2026- We talked with New York State Council of Professional Geologists Executive Director John Nadeau about legislation reshuffling the state's geological survey bureau and creating a state geologist post in order to make New York eligible for federal geology funds. We also consider how many geologists the state should have on staff.

July 8, 2026 - Assemblymember Phara Souffrant Forrest, a Brooklyn Democrat, makes the case for legislation requiring private insurance companies cover name-brand drugs at the same price as generic alternatives when there is a shortage of the generic drug.

July 8, 2026 - SUNY Chancellor John King provides an update on the state's free community college initiative, discusses higher education in prison, the funding needs for a unique SUNY campus, and protections for college athletes.

July 8, 2026 - Assemblyman Patrick Carroll, a Rockland County Democrat, makes the case for updating New York's protections for consumers of new and used cars. We also reflect on his first term in office.

July 8, 2026 - We're getting to know the politicians destined to join the state legislature, so we're checking in with Christian Celeste Tate, a progressive Democrat who unseated a Brooklyn Assemblymember in the June primaries. We talk about his expectations for office and his commitment to being present in his district.

July 7, 2026- Former Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay, an Oswego County Republican, joins the show for his exit interview. We discuss his first bid for the Assembly, reflect on his special election loss in 2008 and explore his relationship with Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie.

July 7, 2026- We're getting to know the politicians destined to join the state legislature, so we're checking in with Brian Romero, who won an open Democratic Assembly primary to represent a part of Western Queens.

July 7, 2026- The state court has updated its rules for advertising by lawyers, eliminating restrictions on when solicitation efforts could begin. We discuss this changing landscape with New York State Bar Association President Taa Grays.

July 6, 2026- The Trump administration is suing the state for alleged Medicaid fraud in the operation of a multi-billion dollar home care program serving seniors and New Yorkers with disabilities. We discuss the latest chapter in the transition of the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program with Bill Hammond, senior fellow for Health Policy at the Empire Center for Public Policy.

July 3, 2026- We consider the benefits of a statewide right to counsel for New Yorkers facing eviction with Malika Conner, coalition director for The Right to Counsel Coalition.

July 3, 2026- We check in with Assemblymember Michael Cashman, a Plattsburgh Democrat, who reflects on his first legislative session. We discuss his legislative approach, partnerships he developed and expectations for the 2027 session.

July 3, 2026- New York lawmakers approved a number of employee protections this past legislative session, so we get the employer perspective on some of the proposals with Frank Kerbein, director of the Center for Human Resources at the Business Council of New York State. We discuss AI reporting requirements, guaranteeing access to personnel files and an expansion of workers compensation benefits.

July 2, 2026- Assemblymember Jeffrey Dinowitz, a Bronx Democrat, makes the case for collecting information about binding arbitration results between customers and businesses.

July 2, 2026- Assemblymember Michaelle Solages, a Long Island Democrat, discusses a new tax rate proposal for vape products and lays out potential guardrails for college athletes.

July 2, 2026- We talk about legislation and regulatory actions that impact utility customers in New York with Laurie Wheelock, executive director Public Utility Law Project of New York. We discuss $1 billion for rebate checks, a commission to review utility costs, and an investigation into utility billing practices.

July 1, 2026- The Hochul administration is taking steps to further the development of new nuclear projects and shedding light on what the future will look like. We explore the latest developments, including a state report, with Tim Knauss, a watchdog reporter on the Public Affairs Team at Syracuse.com and Syracuse Post-Standard.

July 1, 2026- State lawmakers are looking to root out elder abuse by imposing new training requirements on New Yorkers who work with the elderly. We explore this proposal and the hidden world of abuse with Kelly Zunner-Daniels, division leader for the Upstate Elder Abuse Center at Lifespan of Greater Rochester.

July 1, 2026- We discuss legislation requiring the disclosure of generative AI used by news organizations. Our guest is Sam Wheeler, executive director of the Writers Guild of America East.

July 1, 2026- New York Focus education reporter Melissa Manno provides an update on New York's uphill battle to modernize how reading and math are taught in schools.

June 30, 2026 - In a Dispatches from Planet Albany excerpt, we talk with New York Democratic Party Chair Jay Jacobs about the primary results, how Democrats will prepare for November, and his future as the party's leader.

June 30, 2026- New York Lawyers for Public Interest Environmental Justice Director Caroline Chen discusses the danger of extreme heat and makes the case for tracking heat-related deaths in the Empire State.

June 30, 2026- We talk to State Office for People with Developmental Disabilities Commissioner Willow Baer about the Hochul administration's commitment to providing integrated services to New Yorkers with disabilities as the Trump administration backs off its commitment to local programs.

June 30, 2026- Association of Towns of the State of New York Executive Director Chris Koetzle talks about the legislative session at the Capitol and highlights unfinished business for next year.

June 29, 2026- We unpack the latest survey of voters by the Siena Research Institute, which took the temperature of New Yorkers on the race for governor and a Democratic effort to overhaul redistricting in the Empire State. Our guest is Siena pollster Steve Greenberg.

June 29, 2026- We consider the possibility of more affordable and environmentally friendly ways of burying deceased New Yorkers with HK Lee, founder of Aeon Woods, a not-for-profit conservation cemetery.

June 29, 2026 - Assembly Disabilities Committee Chair Angelo Santabarbara, a capital region Democrat, discusses a memo from the Trump administration that has families of New Yorkers with disabilities concerned this will increase the use of institutionalization.

June 26, 2026- State Authorities Budget Office Director Joshua Norkin discusses the lucrative public subsidies local economic development agencies are offering for data center projects.

June 26, 2026- Parks and Trails New York Executive Director Paul Steely White talks about the 750-mile Empire State Trail's impact and what state officials can do to foster its growth.

June 26, 2026- The U.S. Supreme Court is not weighing in on a challenge to New York's law enabling lawsuits against gun companies. We discuss the implications with the measure's senate champion, Brooklyn Democrat Zellnor Myrie.

June 26, 2026- We shine a spotlight on good government bills approved by state lawmakers, as well as some that didn't make it across the finish line, with Blair Horner, senior policy advisor at the New York Public Interest Research Group.

June 25, 2026- We check in with Bria Nickerson, the recently appointed executive director of the New York State Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic, and Asian Legislative Caucus. We discuss the mission of the caucus and why she's excited about this new opportunity.

June 25, 2026- Assemblymember John McDonald, a capital region Democrat, makes the case for setting a minimum dispensing fee that prescription drug middlemen pay to pharmacists.

June 24, 2026- Assemblymember Landon Dais, a Bronx Democrat, talks about maintaining the state's marijuana supply chain integrity, wages at cannabis dispensaries, and the cannabis regulator in New York.

June 24, 2026- State Authorities Budget Office Director Joshua Norkin talks about a review of the management and spending oversight of an economic development agency in Broome County.

June 24, 2026- New Yorkers on Medicaid will have a more burdensome process of retaining their benefits in 2027 as the result of changes adopted by congressional Republicans and proposed rules from the Trump administration. We consider the potential fallout with Lara Kassel, coalition coordinator at Medicaid Matters NY.

June 24, 2026 - Legislation championed by New York's attorney general that would restrict how a person's online data informed what businesses charged them for goods and services made it through the state legislature. We consider potential downsides for grocery shoppers with Mike Durant, president and CEO of the Food Industry Alliance of New York.

June 23, 2026- Assemblymember Karen McMahon, a Buffalo-area Democrat, makes the case for increasing an income tax credit for volunteer firefighters and explains how her proposal gained traction in Albany.

June 23, 2026- We explore legislation expanding New York's firearm storage law to include all gun owners in the state. We talk with the measure's senate sponsor, Manhattan Democrat Erik Bottcher.

June 23, 2026- Host David Lombardo looks back at the session and budget with Capitol Confidential author Dan Clark and Bloomberg Government Capitol reporter Raga Justin. This conversation was recorded for the monthly Capitol Pressroom television broadcast.

June 22, 2026- New York State Budget Director Blake Washington talks about the state's recently adopted budget and the Empire State's financial shape.

June 22, 2026- In a Dispatches from Planet Albany excerpt we talk about campaign mail with political consultant Trip Yang.

June 19, 2026- State Office of Addiction Services and Supports Commissioner Dr. Chinazo Cunningham reflects on new federal overdose data and reviews initiatives in the state budget.