The Capitol Pressroom

Sept. 21, 2026- In an excerpt from a recent Dispatches from Planet Albany, Politico New York Reporter Bill Mahoney talks about a potential leadership challenge for New York Democratic Party Chair Jay Jacobs.

Sept. 18, 2026- Assemblymember Michael Cashman, a Plattsburgh Democrat, argues the Hochul administration has misplaced priorities if they're considering building new prisons before addressing his concerns with the corrections systems.

Sept. 18, 2026- We talk about literacy services at libraries, their funding needs, and protecting the autonomy of school libraries. Our guest is Max Prime, director of government relations and advocacy at New York Library Association.

Sept. 18, 2026- Assemblymember Pamela Hunter, a Syracuse Democrat, discusses her legislation that would update New York's travel insurance regulations so they would be more like the rest of the country.

Sept. 18, 2026- Assemblymember Catalina Cruz, a Queens Democrat, makes the case for bills changing how to appeal evidence suppression decisions and providing flexible release plans for prisoners whose rehabilitation programs can't be completed.

Sept. 17, 2026 - State education officials have set an expiration date on the importance of the Regents exams for graduating high school, but what comes next is still a work in progress. We discuss concerns about the ambitious timeline with Patrick Mannion, an upstate member of the New York State Board of Regents.

Sept. 17, 2026 - A state-appointed monitor is being credited with watering down lucrative local subsidies handed over to an Amazon warehouse project in the Hudson Valley, so we wanted to explore whether this model could work in the rest of the state. We discuss the Orange County experience and the potential expanded oversight of taxpayer subsidies with State Sen. James Skoufis, an Orange County Democrat.

Sept. 17, 2026- Reinvent Albany Senior Policy Advisor Rachael Fauss makes the case for returning some autonomy to an obscure state financial watchdog that hasn't had much bite in recent years.

Sept. 16, 2026- New York State Animal Protection Federation Executive Director Libby Post makes the case for legislation prohibiting any differences in renters' insurance costs based on the breed of dogs people own.

Sept. 16, 2026- We explore legislation giving school districts and government institutions more flexibility when procuring food, so they don't just have to focus on cost when choosing suppliers. Our guests are Monti Lawson, founder and lead land steward with Catalyst Collaborative Farm, and Jessica Gilbert-Overland, director and co-founder of the Good Food Buffalo Coalition.