The Capitol Pressroom

Feb. 13, 2025 - An exam required to be a licensed master social worker is disproportionately keeping ethnic minorities from entering this critical field, according to proponents of repealing the exam requirement. We examine the positives and negatives of the status quo with Luis Lopez, executive director of the Latino Social Work Coalition & Scholarship Fund, and Jacqueline Mondros, interim executive director of Social Workers for Justice.

Feb. 13, 2025 - New York Apartment Association CEO Kenny Burgos makes the case for more aggressive efforts to build up the state's housing supply and revisiting the laws governing rent regulation.

Feb. 13, 2025 - New York's groundbreaking law intended to make large polluters pay billions for climate resiliency projects is tied up in the courts, but we still wanted to consider what implementation could look like for the state. We considered the merits of the lawsuit and the next steps for environmental regulators with Lee Wasserman, director of the Rockeller Family Fund, which supported the adoption of the law.

Feb. 13, 2025 - Car repair shops say it is time for state policymakers to raise what they can charge for vehicle inspections in order to cover their labor expenses. We discuss increasing this annual cost and addressing the workforce shortage at car repair shops with Wayne Bombardiere, executive director of the New York State Association of Service Stations & Repair Shops.

Feb. 12, 2025 - The transit system serving the New York City area may get all of the attention, but transit operators around the state need some more love too, according to James Morrell, director of public transportation for the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority and president of the New York Public Transit Association.

Feb. 12, 2025 - In the best of times, nonprofit organizations contracting with the state are facing an uphill battle, with long waits to execute contracts and rates that don't cover the full cost of programs. But 2025 is far from the best of times explains Megan Allen, CEO of the New York Council of Nonprofits, who outlines all the challenges facing nonprofits in New York.

Feb. 11, 2025 - New York is dramatically expanding who can use its free, direct file tax software this year, so we wanted to explore who is eligible and what the service is like. Our guest is Sara Carlson, director of community engagement for the State Department of Taxation and Finance.

Feb. 11, 2025 - Assembly Transportation Committee Chair Bill Magnarelli, a Syracuse-area Democrat, weighs in on the governor's budget, including what it means for road upkeep and upstate transit systems.

Feb. 11, 2025 - New York City Alliance Against Sexual Assault Executive Director Emily Miles talks about the services that should be available to survivors of sexual assault, including specially trained medical personnel at hospitals.

Feb. 11, 2025 - New York's nascent system of using tax dollars to amplify local political contributions to state legislative candidates had a major impact on fundraising practices during the 2024 cycle, according to an analysis by the Brennan Center. We discuss their findings and the program's future with Marina Pino, a counsel with the center's elections and government program.

Feb. 10, 2025 - There has been a month of congestion pricing in Manhattan, so how is it going? We try to wrap our arms around this issue with Danny Pearlstein, director of policy and communications for Riders Alliance, which championed the toll that went into place in January.

Feb. 10, 2025 - Non-profit organizations looking to become land stewards in the Empire State have been slowed by the state policies governing title ownership We discuss a potential reform to this backlog with Erik Kulleseid, head of the Open Space Institute.

Feb. 10, 2025 - We examine potential changes to the workers' compensation system designed to make it easier to access a medical provider and consider the impact of changes to short-term disability insurance benefits. We talk with Workers' Compensation Board Chair Clarissa Rodriguez, Executive Director Steven Scotti and Medical Director Dr. James Tacci.

Feb. 10, 2025 - The governor's budget proposal doesn't do enough to ensure New Yorkers with disabilities will have access to the staff they need, according to Mike Alvaro, head of the Cerebral Palsy Associations of New York State and president of New York Disability Advocates. We discuss a cost of living increase for staff and whether there should be stricter licensing rules.

Feb. 7, 2025 - Human Services Council Executive Director Michelle Jackson explains why the state government's proposed 2.1 percent cost of living adjustment for non-profits that contract with the state won't cover their growing expenses.

Feb. 7, 2025 - New York State Office for the Aging Director Greg Olsen discusses funding to cut down on waitlists for senior services and other programs impacting older New Yorkers.

Feb. 7, 2025 - The Home Energy Assistance Program makes federal dollars available to subsidize energy bills of low-income New Yorkers, but the program is facing an uncertain future this winter following a temporary halt to applications in January. We talk about this drama and what should come next with Laurie Wheelock, executive director of the Public Utility Law Project of New York.

Feb. 6, 2025 - Tom Clark, the Consul General of Canada in New York, discusses his recent visit to the Empire State's Capitol and the potential fallout of increased tariffs between the North American neighbors.

Feb. 6, 2025 - Open New York Executive Director Annemarie Gray says the state has taken some good first steps in promoting housing growth, but argues there are some basic proposals policymakers should embrace this year to increase the housing supply, such as making it easier for religious institutions to develop homes and superseding local zoning restrictions in certain situations.

Feb. 6, 2025 - We examine efforts to reduce the transmission of hepatitis C in New York with Sarah Cushman, senior manager for Hep C and community prevention services at Trillium Health, and Zaida Aguilar, a Hep C peer advocate at Housing Works.