Podcast The Capitol Pressroom

December 4, 2023 - Scrutinize founder Oded Oren talks about the lack of published decisions from criminal court cases and explains why more transparency would benefit New Yorkers.Oleh WCNY

December 4, 2023 - We discuss the impact of the Adult Survivors Act and consider whether the time for bringing old lawsuits from sexual abuse allegations should be extended, with Michael Polenberg, vice president of government affairs for Safe Horizon.Oleh WCNY

December 4, 2023 - New York State Thruway Authority Executive Director Frank Hoare discusses the organizations budget plan for 2024, which plans to invest new revenue from a toll hike that takes effect in January, talks about the overhaul of service plazas, and considers road safety this winter.Oleh WCNY

December 1, 2023 - State oversight of adult protective services have improved in recent years, according to Tina Kim, deputy comptroller for the Division of State Government Accountability at the Office of the State Comptroller.Oleh WCNY

December 1, 2023 - Assemblymember Fred Thiele, a Long Island Democrat, discusses the ongoing effort to have the Montaukett Nation recognized by the state.Oleh WCNY

December 1, 2023 - We discuss the state's approach to regulating the crypto industry, including new guidelines released this fall, with John Olsen, co-chair of the Emerging Technologies and Innovation Practice for Statewide Public Affairs.Oleh WCNY

November 30, 2023 - As the state Comptroller's Office continues to examine preparedness during the pandemic, the government watchdog turns its attention to addiction services provided from 2019 to 2022. We discuss the audit, with Tina Kim, deputy comptroller for the Division of State Government Accountability at the Office of the State Comptroller.…

November 11, 30 - Common Cause New York Deputy Director Sarah Goff talks about the state's 3.1 million voters who aren't registered with a political party and makes the case for opening up New York's primaries to better engage these independent voters.Oleh WCNY

November 30, 2023 - The state's independent grid operator had decided to keep fossil fuel power plants on line past their retirement date to ensure uninterrupted power in New York City. We discuss this decision and energy reliability concerns more broadly, with Kevin Lanahan, vice president of external affairs and corporate communications for the N…

November 29, 2023 - The Citizens Budget Commission has some suggestions for the Hochul administration on how to craft a plan for reducing greenhouse gas emissions across the state. We discuss the CBC's ideas with Ana Champeny, vice president of research for the business-backed fiscal watchdog.Oleh WCNY

November 29, 2023 - A legal log jam blocking the rollout of hundreds of marijuana dispensaries from opening in New York appears to have been resolved by state cannabis regulators. We discuss what comes next for the adult-use marijuana marketplace with Kaelan Castetter, managing director and founder of Castetter Cannabis Group.…

November 29, 2023 - Assemblywoman Jen Lunsford, a Rochester-area Democrat, explains how outdated reimbursement rates are keeping kids from accessing high-quality early intervention services in a timely fashion.Oleh WCNY

November 28, 2023 - Assemblymember Anna Kelles, an Ithaca-area Democrat, makes the case for legislation designed to standardize and improve the quality and scope of pre-trial services provided around the state.Oleh WCNY

November 22, 2023 - A blue-ribbon commission is recommending new pathways to achieving a high school diploma, with less of an emphasis on Regents exams and more course flexibility along the way. We discuss the commission's report and what comes next with Angelique Johnson-Dingle, deputy commissioner for instructional support at the State Education …

November 21, 2023 - Sen. Liz Krueger, a Manhattan Democrat, makes the case for updating the rules and regulations governing commercial gestational surrogacy in New York.Oleh WCNY

November 21, 2023 - Senate Crime Victims, Crime and Corrections Committee Chair Julia Salazar, a Brooklyn Democrat, makes the case for creating a new layer of government bureaucracy to oversee prisons and jails in New York.Oleh WCNY

November 20, 2023 - Public Utility Law Project of New York Executive Director Laurie Wheelock makes the case for legislation designed to ensure eligible New Yorkers get heating assistance, including in emergencies.Oleh WCNY

November 20, 2023 - Sen. Dan Stec, a North Country Republican, explains a new law he sponsored that empowers towns to combat invasive animals in their community.Oleh WCNY

November 16, 2023 - The state has convened a commission to make recommendations that would improve the delivery of accessible, high-quality health care in New York. We talk with the commission's chair, professor Sherry Glied, about the mandate of the group and how they'll try to tackle their ambitious work.…

November 16, 2023 - David Work, vice president of customer project delivery for the New York Power Authority, explains how the state is hoping to leverage the purchasing power of the New York City Housing Authority to spur induction stove innovation.Oleh WCNY

November 16, 2023 - Environmental Defense Fund director and senior attorney Adam Peltz provides an update on New York's utilization of $25 million in federal funds to secure abandoned gas and oil wells.Oleh WCNY

November 16, 2023 - New Pride Agenda Executive Director Elisa Crespo discusses what the state government is doing - and could be doing - to support transgender New Yorkers.Oleh WCNY

November 15, 2023 - Ben Kuebrich, a public advocate for Alliance for a Green Economy, explains how major New York energy utilities are required to develop long-term plans for shrinking their carbon footprint and highlights how the first plan submitted to state regulators falls short of the Empire State's ambitious greenhouse gas reduction goals.…

November 15, 2023 - New York policymakers have set a goal of conserving 30 percent of the state's land and water by 2030, so a new report from Protect the Adirondacks adds up how much property has been conserved so far and what should come next. We discuss the report with Peter Bauer, executive director of Protect the Adirondacks.…

November 15, 2023 - We check in with Jasmine Gripper, a new co-executive director of the New York Working Families Party, and talk about her plans for 2024 and beyond.Oleh WCNY

November 15, 2023 - Victor Kovner, a member of the New York State Special Commission on Legislative, Judicial, and Executive Compensation, makes the case for giving about 1,300 judges in the Empire State a pay raise for the first time since 2019 and addresses the merits of a geographical pay differentiation.…

November 14, 2023 - Ashley Livingston, co-chair of the Friends of Recovery Warren & Washington, discusses some of the latest recommendations from the State Opioid Settlement Fund Advisory Board, including studying the effect of sanctioned drug use at overdose prevention centers.Oleh WCNY

November 14, 2023 - Could 16- and 17-year-old caregivers help alleviate the demand for home care workers? We consider that idea and other workforce solutions with Bryan O'Malley, executive director of Consumer Directed Action of New York.Oleh WCNY

November 14, 2023 - Assemblyman Harry Bronson, a Rochester-area Democrat, shares insights from a recent hearing on state economic development initiatives and explains a shifting focus to workforce development.Oleh WCNY

November 13, 2023 - Sheng Guo, the head of a new, permanent modernization for the state court system, talks about his mandate and how he plans on tackling this ambitious mission.Oleh WCNY

November 13, 2023 - A change in state contracting for certain home health services could jeopardize smaller coordinators of care, according to reporting by Amanda D'Ambrosio, a health care reporter for Crain's New York.Oleh WCNY

November 13, 2023 - State Sen. Rachel May, a Syracuse Democrat, highlights her legislation designed to preserve and promote a robust, diverse population of pollinators in New York.Oleh WCNY

Novembers 13, 2023 - State Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Brad Hoylman-Sigal, a Manhattan Democrat, discusses improvements to New York's family court system, which was the subject a recent legislative hearing in New York City.Oleh WCNY

November 9, 2023 - The recently appointed chief customer experience officer for New York's state government, Tonya Webster, swings by the studio to discuss her broad mandate to make it easier for New Yorkers to access state services and benefits.Oleh WCNY

November 9, 2023 - We get an update on New York's effort to sign up organ donors, with Aisha Tator, executive director for Donate Life New York StateOleh WCNY

November 9, 2023 - We review the implementation of New York's food donation and recycling law and learn about venison donation efforts for hungry New Yorkers, with the help of Sally Rowland and Jeremy Hurst, of the State Department of Environmental Conservation.Oleh WCNY

November 9, 2023 - New York's top court has given the thumbs up the use of familial DNA searches by law enforcement, as prescribed by state rules and regulations. We discuss the decision and its potential ramifications, with Beth Haroules, an attorney with the New York Civil Liberties Union.Oleh WCNY

November 8, 2023 - The state's ethics watchdog is looking for feedback on their 2024 legislative agenda, so we asked Reinvent Albany Senior Policy Advisory Rachael Fauss about strengthening ethics and lobbying rules in New York.Oleh WCNY

November 9, 2023 - As part of the state's effort to combat sexual violence, the Hochul administration recruited former professional football player Don McPherson to promote healthy masculinity to young men and boys. McPherson and New York State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence Executive Director Kelli Owens swing by the studio to disc…

November 9, 2023 - Many pandemic policies have been retired, but a paid sick leave requirement for COVID-19 infections remains on the books. We discuss the ramifications of this public health policy with Frank Kerbein, director of the Center for Human Resources at the Business Council of New York State.…

November 8, 2023 - Assembly Libraries and Education Technology Committee Chair Carrie Woerner, a Capital Region Democrat, discusses the capital needs of libraries around New York, which was the subject of a recent hearing.Oleh WCNY

November 7, 2023 - In advance of changes to how New Yorkers on Medicaid get re-certified for home care services they receive, Rebecca Antar Novick, health law unit direct for the Legal Aid Society, is urging the Hochul administration to slow down and rethink their plans.Oleh WCNY

November 7, 2023 - New York is in the process of crafting its master plan on aging and wants older New Yorkers to share their priorities. We talked about the status of the plan, including a preliminary report, with Adam Herbst, deputy commissioner for aging and long term care at the State Department of Health.…

November 7, 2023 - This fall, the State Education Department issued a broad restriction on facial recognition technology in schools. The department's chief privacy officer, Louise DeCandia, explains the rationale for the prohibition and how biometric tools can be used in certain situations.Oleh WCNY

November 7, 2023 - New York State Inspector General Lucy Lang stops by the studio to talk about data transparency, keeping an eye on gambling regulators and businesses, and ramifications from a report on workers compensation practices by prison guards.Oleh WCNY

November 6, 2023 - State Budget Director Blake Washington visits the studio to discuss the mid-year financial plan update, including what it says about future budget deficits, spending on Medicaid costs, and future decreases in federal aid.Oleh WCNY

November 6, 2023 - We talk about the medical debt collection process and a proposed pilot program for medical debt, with Scott Purcell, CEO of ACA International, the leading trade association for debt collection agencies.Oleh WCNY

November 3, 2023 - Dr. John DiPreta, a past president of the Society of Orthopedic Surgeons, makes the case for an exemption in "prior authorization" requirements from health insurers in order to ensure speedy, uninterrupted delivery of care.Oleh WCNY

November 3, 2023 - Ted Potrikus, who spent decades with the Retail Council of New York State, talks about his new book, which highlights some of his lobbying experience and serves as a navigation guide for Planet Albany.Oleh WCNY

November 3, 2023 - The Adirondack Council is out with their annual State of the Park report, which includes an assessment of the legislative and regulatory actions in Albany. The group's spokesman, John Sheehan, joins the show to discuss what went right over the last year, what went wrong, and what is left to be done.…