April 19, 2022 - A treasure trove of government emails secured by Times Union reporter Chris Bragg sheds new light on the kind of access major donors to Gov. Kathy Hochul have to her administration.

April 19, 2022 - The state's much beleaguered ethics watchdog is on its way out, but good government groups have little hope that the new oversight entity will be much better. Reinvent Albany's Rachael Fauss explains the shortcomings of the appointment process to the new commission and makes the case for a more independent organization.

April 18, 2022 - Assemblymember Al Stirpe, a Syracuse-area Democrat, wants to change the way the state calculates the distribution the bulk of education funding to public schools and is backing legislation to codify the funding levels for schools that serve students with special needs.

April 18, 2022 - Carm Basile, legislative chair of the New York Public Transit Association and head of the Capitol District Transportation Authority, adds up the investments the state budget made in upstate transit and discusses public transportation developments in the Capital Region, including service expansion and more e-scooters.

April 18, 2022 - Jon Campbell, capitol reporter for WNYC and Gothamist, discusses changes to the state's alcohol laws in the recently adopted budget, including letting liquor stores open on Christmas and allowing to-go cocktails to be sold by restaurants.

April 18, 2022 - Senate Transportation Committee Chair Tim Kennedy, a Buffalo Democrat, makes the case for the gas tax holiday - 16 cents per gallon - that will be in effect from June to the end of the year. He also discusses funding in the state budget for roads, including combatting potholes.

April 15, 2022 - New York State Energy Research and Development Authority President & CEO Doreen Harris explains why the state has partnered with its neighbors to try to become a regional hub for 'clean hydrogen' power.

April 15, 2022 - Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter’s Roger Downs and Audubon New York’s Erin McGrath explain how the state budget will expand the ability of state regulators to control the development on wetlands.

April 15, 2022 - Progressive activist Ana María Archila, who is vying to be the Democratic lieutenant gubernatorial nominee, discusses her credentials to be the successor to the governor and outlines her vision for the job.

April 14, 2022 - New York's pre-trial detention laws have been changed in the state budget for the third time in four years, as Gov. Kathy Hochul and Democratic state lawmakers respond to concerns about public safety. Times Union reporter Joshua Solomon explains what the latest tweaks will actually do and how these ramifications compare to the public conversation around the reforms.