The Capitol Pressroom

By WCNYNews

The Capitol Pressroom episodes

June 01 School boards digest adopted state budget
June 1, 2026- We break down what the state budget means for schools, including education aid to districts and delaying a transition to zero-emission school buses. Our guest is Brian Fessler, chief advocacy officer for the New York State School Boards Association.
16 min
June 01 Division over legislative action on psilocybin
June 1, 2026- Assemblymember Pat Burke, a Buffalo-area Democrat, discusses the legislative efforts to make psilocybin available for mental health conditions in New York.
13 min
May 29 What's next for New York's wetland protections?
May 29, 2026- We examine what comes next for the regulation of wetlands in New York after the Hochul administration chose not to challenge a court ruling limiting wetland protection rules. Our guest is Tom Berkman, a partner at Hodgson Russ and former general counsel for the State Department of Environmental Conservation.
14 min
May 29 Cannabis regulators solicit feedback from young New Yorkers
May 29, 2026- State Office of Cannabis Management Chief Medical Officer Dr. June Chin discusses the findings from a listening tour that solicited feedback from young people, including what they know and the questions they have about marijuana.
14 min
May 29 New York restricts working relationships with ICE
May 29, 2026- Assemblymember Catalina Cruz, a Queens Democrat, discusses language in the state budget that redefines the relationship between local law enforcement and federal immigration officials.
23 min
May 28 The case for defining antisemitism in state law
May 28, 2026- National Jewish Advocacy Center CEO Mark Goldfeder wants to write into state law a widely used, but controversial definition of antisemitism. We consider why a definition is needed in state law and what it should include.
14 min
May 28 Closing the 'Epstein Loophole' in state sex trafficking laws
May 28, 2026- Assemblymember Pamela Hunter, a Syracuse Democrat, wants to expand state criminal law to make it easier for prosecutors to bring charges against sex traffickers.
13 min
May 28 Farmers want to preserve access to controversial herbicide
May 28, 2026- New York Farm Bureau Director of Public Policy Renée St. Jacques argues against legislation restricting the sale and use of a herbicide banned in dozens of countries.
14 min
May 28 Rethinking the power of the Adirondack Park Agency Act
May 28, 2026- Protect the Adirondacks Executive Director Claudia Braymer makes the case for updating state law governing the use and oversight of state-land in the Adirondacks.
10 min
May 27 New York weighs ban on reselling concert tickets for profit
May 27, 2026- State Sen. James Skoufis, an Orange County Democrat, discusses the effort to adopt more consumer friendly regulations for live-event ticket purchasing. He talks about a federal anti-trust lawsuit and his pending legislation.
23 min