The Capitol Pressroom

Ja. 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.