The Capitol Pressroom

March 4, 2026- Adirondack Explorer reporter Gwen Craig explains how the state made it difficult for a nonprofit in the Adirondacks to utilize a grant for a land purchase and four years later they're looking to unload the property as a result.

March 4, 2026- We consider what the governor's budget does (and doesn't do) to address food insecurity with the help of Natasha Pernicka, executive director of The Alliance for a Hunger Free New York. We also consider the fallout from federal changes to SNAP eligibility.

March 4, 2026- We talk about tariff ambiguity, emissions restrictions and energy demands with Randy Wolken, president and CEO of MACNY, the Manufacturers Association.

March 3, 2026- Gov. Kathy Hochul's budget proposal slashes state support for programs and resources designed to help New Yorkers with disabilities remain independent. We discuss the proposed budget cuts and accessible transportation with Tyler Whitney, president and CEO of Southern Adirondack Independent Living, and Lindsay Miller, executive director for New York Association on Independent Living.

March 3, 2026- The state's volunteer firefighter numbers are about two-thirds of what they were two decades ago, so we talked with Firefighters Association of the State of New York Secretary John D'Alessandro about ideas to boost those numbers.

March 2, 2026- New York policymakers have until the end of the year to enroll in a federal tax credit program incentivizing contributions to scholarship-giving organizations. We consider this proposal, which is being championed by private schools, with Dennis Poust, executive director of the New York State Catholic Conference.

Feb. 27, 2026- State Senate Transportation Committee Chair Jeremy Cooney, a Rochester-area Democrat, laments the governor abandoning an expansion of for-hire autonomous vehicles and calls for a new car registration fee to fund public transit.

Feb. 27, 2026- We consider the implications of changing a Medicaid payout to emergency medical service providers with Thomas Coyle, president of Monroe Ambulance transportation and chair of the United New York Ambulance Network, and Bryan Brauner, CEO of Twin City Ambulance.

Feb. 27, 2026- Assembly Children and Families Committee Chair Andrew Hevesi, a Queens Democrat, talks about investing in child care workers, addressing foster care liability costs, looking out for young people in juvenile detention, and support for domestic violence services.

Feb. 27, 2026 - State Senate Environmental Conservation Committee Chair Pete Harckham, a Westchester County Democrat, argues against curtailing the state's green energy and emissions goals adopted as part of the Climate Leadership & Community Protection Act. Gov. Kathy Hochul is making the case that the law is driving up costs and needs to be amended.

Feb. 26, 2026- Assemblymember Robert Carroll, a Brooklyn Democrat, lays out his pitch for New York to host a future winter Olympics, with Lake Placid and New York City hosting various games.

Feb. 26, 2026- SUNY Chancellor John King discusses the campus upkeep funding needs at public colleges and universities, the expansion of free community college for adults, and holding the line on SUNY tuition.

Feb. 26, 2026- Miguel Velázquez, CEO of Regional Transit Service and president of New York Public Transit Association, makes the case for a recurring $25 charge on drivers to fund public transit systems outside of New York City, which are in need of dedicated operating funds to improve services.

Feb. 26, 2026- We explore some of the health care proposals in the governor's budget and consider how the state might spend unanticipated federal dollars. Our guest is Paul Francis, chair of the Step Two Policy Project.

Feb. 25, 2026- State Office of Addiction Services and Supports Commissioner Dr. Chinazo Cunningham addresses marijuana and sports gambling addictions, explains how the state wants to treat New Yorkers with co-occurring disorders, and responds to concerns about the speed of spending funds secured from opioid manufacturers and distributors.

Feb. 25, 2026- A report from the New York Independent System Operator explored what is driving the cost of wholesale electricity prices in New York. We discussed what they found and what it means for ratepayers with Kevin Lanahan, senior vice president for corporate communications and external affairs for the organization.

Feb. 24, 2026- New York State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli shares his concerns about the governor's budget proposal, including long-term deficits and restrictions on his oversight.

Feb. 24, 2026- New York State Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon joins the show to talk about cutting red tape, spending on child care subsidies, and expanding an AI tool on the department's website.

Feb. 24, 2026- The governor's budget creates new penalties and higher registration fees for lobbyists, but that revenue isn't going to the New York's ethics watchdog, which is facing a funding cut. We discuss these proposals with Sandy Berland, executive director of the state Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government.

Feb. 24, 2026- We try to make sense of the fallout from the Trump administration rolling back federal rules and regulations on greenhouse gas emissions. Our guest is Julie Tighe, president of the New York League of Conservation Voters, who also talks about state regulations governing expanded wetland maps.

Feb. 23, 2026- New York State Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare Executive Director Lauri Cole talks about prompt payments for her members, curtailing the role of insurance companies, and cutting red tape.

Feb. 23, 2026- We highlight the consumer protections available to New Yorkers who pay for a tax preparer. Our guest is Sara Carlson, director of community engagement for the State Department of Taxation and Finance.

Feb. 23, 2026- New York State Office for the Aging Director Greg Olsen talks about what the governor's budget proposal means for seniors, including funding to implement the master plan on aging and ensure oversight of long-term care facilities.

Feb. 23, 2026- We dive into the opaque and inconsistent world of discipline by the state police. Our guest is Sammy Sussman, an investigative journalist, who examined a decade's worth of records to shine a light on this important issue.

Feb. 20, 2026- Despite pledges of increased transparency by Gov. Kathy Hochul, a new report from Reinvent Albany found that executive agencies have a lot of room for improvement in responding to records requests under the Freedom of Information Law. We discuss the findings and the opaque state senate confirmation voting process with Rachael Fauss, a senior policy advisor for the good government group.

Feb. 20, 2026- Kevin Bolan, a physician assistant practicing in the Adirondacks and legislative chair for the New York State Society of PAs, makes the case for the governor's plan to let physician assistants work with less oversight.

Feb. 20, 2026 - After years of adding to a patchwork system of licensed financial services, state lawmakers took steps in 2025 to ensure New York's financial regulators have tools to go after unlicensed operators. We discuss this landscape and how it evolved with Winston Berkman-Breen, legal director at Protect Borrowers.

Feb. 20, 2026 - In this excerpt from Dispatches from Planet Albany, New York Working Families Party Director Jasmine Gripper explains why the liberal third party did not back a primary challenge to Gov. Kathy Hochul.

Feb. 19, 2026- Gov. Kathy Hochul is proposing to eliminate $230,000 in state funds for programs that help vulnerable New Yorkers living in adult homes advocate for better living conditions. We talked with representatives from the Coalition of Institutionalized Aged and Disabled and the Alliance for Rights and Recovery, plus peer advocate and former adult home resident Deborah Hunter.

Feb. 19, 2026- Protect the Adirondacks Executive Director Claudia Braymer makes the case for amending the state Constitution to allow for the redevelopment of three shuttered prisons in upstate New York.

Feb. 19, 2026- State Sen. Jake Ashby, a Capital Region Republican, discusses his legislation that would limit local law enforcement's collaboration with ICE agents and discusses the politicization of immigration issues

Feb. 19, 2026- We explore legislation that would prohibit certain food additives and promote greater disclosure of what's in the food consumed by New Yorkers. We talk about the bill and the approach of state regulators with Jensen Jose, regulatory counsel for the Center for Science in the Public Interest.

Feb. 18, 2026- We explore the pathway to a gubernatorial upset for Republicans in New York, digest the news that Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado is dropping his bid for governor, and consider the leadership change for the Assembly Republicans. Our guest is Nick Reisman, Albany bureau chief for Politico New York.

Feb. 18, 2026- Immediately after the New York Democrat's state convention in Syracuse we checked in with State Sen. James Skoufis, an Orange County Democrat and member of the Democratic National Committee. We talked about next steps for the state party and the path to victory for Democrats in November.

Feb. 18, 2026- The Children's Agenda Senior Policy Analyst Shannon Mullin discusses the limited access to pre-kindergarten outside of New York City and considers what has been proposed by Gov. Kathy Hochul to increase availability.

Feb. 18, 2026- We consider the best way to implement a new personal finance education mandate from the state Board of Regents. Our guest is Next Gen Personal Finance Director of Educational Outreach Yanely Espinal, who calls for a standalone instruction on financial literacy.

Feb. 16, 2026 - After the New York Democratic Party Convention wrapped up in Syracuse earlier this month, we sat down with state party Chair Jay Jacobs to discuss the Democrat's next steps and whether he thought he would be in this role after a public disagreement with Gov. Kathy Hochul

Feb. 16, 2026 - Northern Rivers Family of Services CEO Bill Gettman identifies red tape the state could cut to improve non-profit operations, makes the case for a cost of living adjustment that keeps up with inflation and encourages the Hochul administration to speed up their effort to give localized mental health services to poor kids.

Feb. 17, 2026 - We explore the inner workings of the investigations team at the Office of the State Comptroller, including when they're deployed into the field and how they unearth criminal activity. Our guest is Nelson Sheingold, counsel for the comptroller's office, who oversees investigations.

Feb. 13, 2026- Coalition for Asian American Children and Families Director of Policy & Government Relations Felicia Singh makes the case for the unique needs of the Asian-American community and outlines a $54 million "equity" agenda.

Feb. 12, 2026 - State Assembly Mental Health Committee Chair Jo Anne Simon, a Brooklyn Democrat, discusses the governor's budget, promoting access to child mental health services and enforcing health insurance parity.

Feb. 12, 2026 - One of the key fiscal integrity measures for New York's Medicaid program is an exclusion list that is designed to keep bad actors from participating in the system. We explore how the list works in practice with Margaret Surowka and Bob Hussar, from the law firm Barclay Damon.

Feb. 11, 2026- Jessica Ottney Mahar, the New York policy and strategy director for The Nature Conservancy, gives us a history lesson on the funding and administration of the Environmental Protection Fund and how it is being funded in the governor's budget proposal.

Feb. 12, 2026 -Retired Public Employees Association President RoAnn Destito makes the case for legislation ensuring retired public sector employees don't see a diminishment of their health care benefits when they enroll in Medicare.

Feb. 11, 2026- New York Farm Bureau Director of Public Policy Renée St. Jacques discusses the governor's budget proposal and makes the case for additional investments in a housing tax credit and agricultural research.

Feb. 11, 2026- State Sen. Zellnor Myrie, a Brooklyn Democrat, talks about language in the budget giving New Yorkers a pathway to suing ICE agents, makes the case for gun control legislation advanced by the governor, and discusses the lack of attention in the executive budget for changes to the "Raise the Age" law.

Feb. 11, 2026- We explore a recent state law requiring commercials to disclose the use of "synthetic performers" to market to New Yorkers. Our guest is Jeffrey Bennett, general counsel for SAG-AFTRA.

Feb. 10, 2026- New York State Office of Cannabis Management Chief Equity Officer Simone Washington discusses an effort to create a more level playing field for marijuana dispensary owners coming from marginalized communities.

Feb. 10, 2026- New York Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Amanda Lefton makes the case for the governor's budget proposal, outlining spending on clean water, commitments to the Environmental Protection Fund, and reforms to the environmental quality review process for certain projects.

Feb. 10, 2026- In a Dispatches from Planet Albany excerpt, redistricting guru Jeff Wice explained where things stand with the Democratic effort to redraw a Republican-held congressional seat in New York City.

Feb. 6, 2026- State Authorities Budget Office Director Joshua Norkin discusses a proposed update to his agency's monitoring of tax breaks doled out by economic development organization's all over New York.