The Capitol Pressroom

Jan. 13, 2026- Gov. Kathy Hochul is looking to boost housing production, but are her policies making a difference? We explore recent actions at the Capitol and consider other means of producing more affordable housing with Lisa Damiani, executive director of the Western New York Property Owners Association, and Tim Foley, CEO of the Building and Realty Institute.

Jan. 16, 2026- Office of the New York State Comptroller Deputy Comptroller for State Accountability Tina Kim discusses an audit that highlighted room for improvement in the state's dispersal of funds to replace lead service lines in the Empire State.

Jan. 13, 2026- Consultant Jenn O'Connor and Marion Waldman, executive director of Teach My Kid to Read, make the case for state grants to libraries so they can fill the gaps in efforts to promote early literacy.

Jan. 15, 2026- New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports Commissioner Dr. Chinazo Cunningham makes the case for New Yorkers to drink less alcohol and gives an update on efforts to combat the opioid epidemic.

Jan. 15, 2026- Dutchess County Mental Health Commissioner Jean-Marie Niebuhr explains how the 9-8-8 crisis hotline can help people with mental health problems and addressed the lack of awareness of the number in parts of the state.

Jan. 15, 2026- Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay, a Central New York Republican, responds to Gov. Kathy Hochul's State of the State address, including where there was consensus, where there was disagreement, and where he thought the speech was lacking.

Jan. 15, 2026- Gov. Kathy Hochul is looking to lower car insurance costs, with drivers in New York generally paying well above the national average. We discuss what is driving up costs and how to respond with Brianna January, director of State and Local Governments in the Northeast at the Chamber of Progress.

Jan. 14, 2026- Assemblymember Jonathan Rivera, a Buffalo Democrat, discusses his dissatisfaction with the process of selecting candidates for special elections after finding himself shut out from running for a vacant state senate seat. But he says he will pursue a full term in the role when the general election rolls around.

Jan. 14, 2026- New York policymakers have adopted a law to regulate the lawsuit lending industry, but how impactful will it be? We consider the future of these consumer protections with Tom Stebbins, executive director of The Lawsuit Reform Alliance of New York.

Jan. 14, 2026- New York Civil Liberties Union Senior Policy Counsel Justin Harrison shares concerns about Gov. Kathy Hochul's effort to create a free speech buffer zone outside of houses of religious worship.

Jan. 14, 2026- In an excerpt of an upcoming Dispatches from Planet Albany episode, we talked about the tumult in the Empire State's marijuana oversight with Herb Barbot, former director of operations for New York Office of Cannabis Management and chair of the Empire State Green Standard Alliance.

Jan. 13, 2026- Assemblymember Alex Bores, a Manhattan Democrat, and State Sen. Andrew Gounardes, a Brooklyn Democrat, discuss the fate of their 2025 bill to regulate cutting-edge artificial intelligence development, which was the subject of intense lobbying and got tweaked by Gov. Kathy Hochul.

Jan. 12, 2026- Oswego County Administrator Phil Church, president of the New York State Association of Counties, explains the counties' Albany wish list, which includes state help responding to federal changes.

Jan. 12, 2026- Iroquois Healthcare Association President & CEO Kevin Kerwin talks about the support hospitals will need in 2026 from the state, in part due to the fallout from actions championed by President Donald Trump and his allies in Washington D.C.

Jan. 12, 2026- New York State Dental Association Executive Director Michael Herrmann reflects on legislative actions taken in 2025 and shares the priorities for dentists in 2026 at the Capitol.

Jan. 12, 2026- New York Insurance Association President Cassandra Anderson discusses workers' compensation fraud, including more resources for state regulators and an anti-fraud measure vetoed by the governor.

Jan. 9, 2026- We explore concerns of the long-term care industry, including being excluded from a round of state infrastructure funding, dealing with inadequate Medicaid rates, and struggling to find staff. Our guests are Sebrina Barrett, president and CEO for LeadingAge New York, and Jeremy Rutter, president and CEO of Community Wellness Partners.

Jan. 9, 2026- Gov. Kathy Hochul is looking to make a big investment in child care this year, so we explore the outlines of what she's proposing and consider what else needs to be done to boost access to care with the help of Meredith Chimento, executive director of the Early Care & Learning Council.

Jan. 8, 2026 - Assemblymember Sarahana Shrestha, a Hudson Valley Democrat, makes the case for a state takeover of an investor-owned utility with a suspect record in the Hudson Valley. We explore what the new entity would look like it and why she thinks drastic changes are necessary.

Jan. 8, 2026- The controversial transition of the administration of a popular home care program is complete, but how is it working now? Not well, according to Ilana Berger, the New York political director for Caring Majority Rising, which wants state policymakers to make changes to the status quo.

Jan. 8, 2026- In December, state law was strengthened to protect New Yorkers who request reasonable accommodations in public places, like at work. We explore the significance of this anti-retaliation measure and consider the merits of updating New York's paid medical leave program with Jesse Workman, a senior staff attorney with A Better Balance.

Jan. 7, 2026- A decade ago the state changed the way it administered Medicaid payments for behavioral health providers in order to save money and improve outcomes, but the plan hasn't worked according to providers. We consider returning to a fee-for-service model with Lauri Cole, executive director of the New York State Council for Community Behavioral Health Care.

Jan. 7, 2026 - Center for Effective Lawmaking co-Director Craig Volden discusses who were the effective state lawmakers during the legislative sessions in 2023 and 2024 in New York. This is an excerpt of a conversation for an upcoming Dispatches from Planet Albany episode.

Jan. 7, 2026- Progressive criminal justice activists are hoping this is the year that state policymakers take action to expand access to treatment courts. We discuss this diversion program with Casey Dalporto and Stephanie Bazell, senior policy attorneys with the New York County Defender Services.

Jan. 7, 2026- In advance of New York implementing a law allowing the terminally ill to legally end their lives with the help of a doctor, we check in with Medical Society of the State of New York President Dr. David Jakubowicz to explore how the program should be rolled out.

Jan. 6, 2026- Diane Eber, the executive director of the unique performing arts center at the Capitol complex, known as The Egg, discusses a major renovation of the venue and her vision for the future.

Jan 5. 2025- In the face of the Trump administration attempting to roll back Biden-era drinking water standards, environmental officials are calling on the Hochul administration to proactively backfill federal protections. We discuss the effort to increase state regulations of PFAS in drinking water with Rob Hayes, senior director of clean water at Environmental Advocates NY.

Jan. 5, 2025- Times Union Managing Editor Brendan Lyons talks about his coverage of the New York State Police and the union representing state troopers during 2025, which was a tumultuous year for both institutions.

Dec. 30, 2025- New York Farm Bureau Director of Public Policy Renée St Jacques talks about the overtime threshold for farmworkers and her organization's agenda for the legislative session in 2026.

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.