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Advisory: WCNY 'Capitol Pressroom' radio show guests from Wednesday, February 12, through Thursday, February 27, 2020.
NYSNYS News


Text of advisories.

Today on "The Capitol Pressroom":

2/27/20 show:

With a special election date set, the race to succeed Chris Collins in the 27th congressional district is heating up. We’ll hear from the Democratic candidate, Nate McMurray, former Grand Island Town Supervisor, on the state of the race.

David Jones, President and CEO of the Community Service Society, will explain how his organization helps New Yorkers struggling with student loan debt.

The recently enacted bail laws have become a hot button issue for New Yorkers. Now, the state Senate is taking another look at the changes. Sen. Jim Gaughran (D-Northport), chair of the Senate Committee on Local Government, who serves on the Senate’s working group on the issue will discuss the latest.

How does the state’s Commission on Judicial Conduct work? The organization’s Administrator and Counsel, Robert H. Tembeckjian, will stop by to give us a primer.

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2/26/20 show:

NYSUT is out with a new ad campaign calling on the state to tax the ultrawealthy in New York. The organization’s President, Andy Pallotta will discuss the campaign and the proposed level of education funding.

Advocates have been making the rounds to secure funding for health care workers in this budget cycle. Susan Constantino, President and CEO of the Cerebral Palsy Associations of New York State, and Yvette Watts, Executive Director of the New York Association of Emerging & Multicultural Providers, will explain why this funding is so crucial.

The State Education Department will hold another series of stakeholder feedback sessions on its guidelines for educational institutions which include yeshivas. Today, Yeruchim Silber, Director of New York Government Relations at Agudath Israel of America, will discuss the latest.

Alexis Grenell, writer and co-founder of Pythia Public, is back with her analysis of the news from the Albany political sphere.

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2/25/20 show:

Dave Friedfel, Director at State Studies at the Citizens Budget Commission, will explain the latest with the state budget and the impact federal spending changes will have on New York.

What’s in your household cleaning products? Bobbi Wilding, Deputy Director of Clean and Healthy New York, will discuss what more the state can do to let you know.

Sen. Jessica Ramos (D-Queens), chair of the Senate Labor Committee, will stop by to update us on the labor issues she is following this legislative session.

New changes to siting rules in the state could have an impact on New York’s towns. Gerry Geist, Executive Director of the Association of Towns of the State of New York, and Sarah Brancatella, the organization’s Legislative Director and Counsel, will weigh in on the decision.

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2/24/20 show:

What do New Yorkers think of the Democratic presidential candidates? Steve Greenberg, Siena College Research Institute pollster, will share the results from the latest round of polling.

In New York, hundreds of rape kits are sitting in labs untested. Reporter Vaughn Golden will discuss his Times Union piece and the impact this backlog has on cases across the state.

With tax season upon us, we’ll speak with the Commissioner of the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance Michael Schmidt on the issues he is following and how New Yorkers can file their taxes for free.

Tim Hoefer, Executive Director of the Empire Center for Public Policy, will stop by to reveal who won the organization’s Deregulate NY contest.

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2/21/20 show:

With higher thresholds to reach automatic ballot access in New York, the new head of the state’s Working Families Party has a lot of work to do. Today, we’ll meet the organization’s new State Director, Sochie Nnaemeka, and discuss her goals for the position.

Jon Campbell, Albany reporter for the USA Today Network, will help us take a look back at the news of the week that was.

Along with bail law changes, the state legislature passed reforms to its discovery and speedy trial procedures. We’ll hear from District Attorney David Soares (D-Albany County) on the changes and the impacts it will have on offices like his.

The Governor has backed calls to end the “pink tax” in the Empire State. Ted Potrikus, President and CEO of the Retail Council of New York State, will weigh in on that issue and other that are impacting New York’s retail community.

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2/20/20 show:

Sen. Zellnor Myrie (D-Brooklyn), chair of the Senate Elections Committee, will discuss the election issues that he is following this session as New York gears up for its primaries and November’s general election. (originally aired 2/6/20)

The permitting process in New York can be a bit of a labyrinth. We’ll hear how a Fort Edward brewery navigated the path and how lawmakers are trying to simplify the process. (Originally aired 1/30/20)

How does a Siena College Research Institute poll go from idea to results? We asked Dr. Don Levy, Director of the Siena College Research Institute, how their poll is made as it was in the field. (Originally aired 1/26/20)

Running a state government can be stressful for legislators, staffers, and members of the media. That’s why a new meditation program was started here in the Capitol. We’ll talk about this new program with its facilitators, Elissa Kane and Asm. Pat Fahy (D-Albany). (Originally aired 12/19/19)

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2/19/20 show:

Last year, supporters of gestational surrogacy came up short as the legalization effort stalled in the State Assembly. Today, we'll hear from two women who went through the process and now advocate against legalization of the process.

Gestational surrogacy was able to pass through the State Senate without unanimous Democratic support with Manhattan Democrat, Liz Krueger, voting against the measure. This session, the chair of the Senate Finance committee is introducing a new surrogacy bill that addresses the concerns she has had. The Senator joins the show to.explain how this bill differs from Sen. Hoylman's.

Senate Democrats have been taking another look at the bail laws that were passed last year. Nicole Triplett, policy counsel at the New York Civil Liberties Union, will discuss why they are opposed to changes that can be made to the new laws.


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2/18/20 show:

Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan (D) has made annual trips to the Capitol to ask lawmakers to allocate $12.5 million to cover the property taxes the city loses to government buildings. The Mayor will be in the studio to discuss the funding ask and more.

Today, we’ll meet the new President of CSEA, Mary Sullivan, who was recently elected to her first full term after she took over the leadership of the union after longtime leader Danny Donohue retired.

Betsy Mercogliano, Doula, Licensed Midwife, RN and co-founder Family Life Center and BirthNet New York, will take us on a deep dive into how doulas help expecting mothers through their pregnancy.

Homeowner protection advocates are calling on the state to allocate funding to housing and legal nonprofits across the state in this year’s budget. Kirsten Keefe, Senior Staff Attorney in the Consumer Finance and Housing Unit at Empire Justice Center, will explain why this funding is so critical.

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2/17/20 show:

The changes to the state’s bail laws passed by the state legislature last year have become a hot button issue in Albany and across the state. Washington County Sheriff Jeff Murphy will be in studio to discuss his “Repeal Bail Reform” group and some of the actions that have occurred in the social media group. (originally aired 2/5/20)

Governor Cuomo has proposed new oversight protections for New York’s medical professionals. We’ll discuss the proposals with Dr. Arthur Fougner, President of the Medical Society of New York State, and we’ll hear from Blair Horner, Executive Director of the New York Public Interest Research Group. (originally aired 2/7/20)

How can 1998's Master Settlement Agreement with the Big Tobacco companies inform the legal fights on the opioid crisis? Cheryl Healton, Dean and Professor of Public Health Policy and Management at the College of Global Public Health at New York University, will join David to discuss it. (originally aired 2/3/20)

To mark the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade anniversary, Sen. Alessandra Biaggi (D-Bronx) has proposed legislation that would create a voluntary public fund to cover the expenses of an abortion procedure for low-income New Yorkers. The Senator will explain how the fund works when she joins the show. (originally aired 1/23/20)

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2/14/20 show:

On this Valentine’s Day edition of the program, Bernadette Hogan, reporter for the New York Post, will stop by for a look back at the news of the week that was.

What are the priorities of New York’s AAA this legislative session? We’ll ask Lauren Paterno, Government Affairs Representative AAA of New York State, about the priorities they are working on.

This week, the State Education Department will hold another series of stakeholder feedback sessions on its guidelines for educational institutions which include yeshivas. Naftuli Moster, Founder and Executive Director of Young Advocates for Fair Education, will weigh in on the Education Department’s decision.

A new report from Environmental Advocates of New York takes a look at the water infrastructure funding needs from across the state. Maureen Cunningham, Senior Director for Clean Water, and Robert Hayes, Clean Water Associate, will share the findings of their organization’s report.

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2/13/20 show:

This week, legislators heard from public protection entities and advocates on the Governor’s proposed budget. Sen. Luis Sepulveda (D-Bronx), chair of the Senate Crime Victims, Crime, and Corrections Committee, will discuss the budget and issues he is following this session.

The Rochester City School District is in dire financial straits according to a recently released report from the state Comptroller’s office. We’ll speak with the district’s Superintendent Terry Dade about what he needs from the state to keep the district afloat.

The second iteration of the Medicaid Redesign Team has started their work to find potential cuts to the state’s Medicaid program. Bill Hammond, Director of Health Policy at the Empire Center for Public Policy, will be in the studio to discuss the budget and the MRT.

“Bring It Home”, a coalition of mental health advocates and supportive housing supporters is calling for adequate funding of community-based mental health housing. Toni Lasicki, Executive Director of the Association for Community Living of New York State, joins David to explain the coalition’s efforts.

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2/12/20 show:

On Tuesday, legislators heard testimony on the Governor’s proposed education spending. Today, we’ll have Sen. Shelley Mayer (D-Yonkers), chair of the Senate Education Committee, in the studio to weigh in on the proposal.

Bryan O’Malley, Executive Director of the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Association of New York State, will explain how the Governor’s proposed budget will impact being receiving care at home and not in a nursing home.

Sen. Rachel May (D-Syracuse), chair of the Senate Aging Committee, will discuss the latest from the Central New York region and what she would like to see in a final budget agreement.

Alexis Grenell, writer and co-founder of Pythia Public, is back with her analysis of the news from the Albany political sphere.




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