Tuesday was primary day in New York! We unpack the competitive congressional primaries races with Austin Jefferson, of City and State New York. We discuss the availiable resources in the state for LGBTQ+ older adults who have looking for support with MJ Okma, Senior Manager for Advocacy and Government Relations at SAGE. In collaboration with the Co…

SUNY Chancellor John King joins us to discuss his vision for the university, goals for the coming school year and SUNY's position on protests. After more than three decades covering state politics in New York, Karen DeWitt, Capitol bureau chief for the New York Public News Network, is retiring. We sit down with Karen to unpack her career and legacy…

We'll unpack the governor's announcement essentially pulling the plug on congestion pricing plan for New York City. Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas (D-Queens County) discusses the importance of disaggregating data for Middle Eastern and Northern African New Yorkers and the path forward to getting her bill over the finish line. Now more than …

Recent court rulings in New York state may threaten the legitimacy of the state's ethics watchdog and an equal rights ballot referendum. Bill Mahoney, of POLITICO, joins us to discuss the impact of these court cases. Doreen Harris, President and CEO of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, joins us to discuss the challenge o…

With just a few days before the end of session, Gov. Kathy Hochul and lawmakers are pushing to get two social media child privacy bills over the finish line. The state Senate Transportation Committee officially has a new chair. State Sen. Jeremy Cooney joins us to discuss his vision for the committee and the legacy he's hoping to have. While FY25 s…

In this episode of "New York Now," we delve into the state's housing crisis with Senator Brian Kavanagh, who shares insights on the latest budget plan to boost affordable housing. Additionally, Natasha Pernicka, Executive Director of the Food Pantries of the Capitol District, addresses the growing issue of food insecurity and the challenges food pa…

May is Mental Health Awareness Month! We catch up with the New York State Office of Mental Health Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan about funding in the state budget and youth mental health priorities. Democratic Lawmakers have been prioritizing the maternal and mental health of mothers. We caught up with State Senate Mental Health Chair Samra Brouk (D…

On This Week's Edition Catch this week's show on your local PBS member station, or watch on YouTube, Facebook, or using the free PBS app anytime after Friday. A podcast version is available wherever you normally get podcasts. On This Latest Edition of New York NOW: The state budget included savings to the Medicaid program as well as cuts to the Con…

The final FY25 state budget has been passed. Reporters Zach Williams, of Bloomberg Law, Vaughn Golden, of the New York Post, and Alex Gault, of the Watertown Daily Times and Northern New York Newspapers, join us to unpack the budget process this year and the highlights. While there was major opposition to plans to close SUNY Downstate Medical Cente…

It was a busy week at the state Capitol with budget progress. The governor announced a conceptual state budget agreement and lawmakers voted on the first few budget bills. During his last days as DEC Commissioner, Basil Seggos about his tenure and legacy at the state department. Producer Dana Wright spoke with the DEC and environmental experts to u…

A look behind the curtain at the daily lives of reporters in New York's Legislative Correspondents Association at the state Capitol - the longest-running press corps in the United States, focused on covering the politics and policy issues of New York. We sit down with Isabelle Dolores "Dee" Wedemeyer, one of the first women to be admitted into the …

The governor and legislative leaders are still in negotiations on the state budget, including a potential agreement to address the state's housing crisis. Meanwhile, Republican lawmakers have put together a housing proposal of their own. Assembly Member Patricia Fahy joins us to discuss the path forward for the New York Heat Act - a bill meant to e…

Amid ongoing budget negotiations between the governor and legislative leaders, the deadline for the state budget has been extended. Advocates and lawmakers are calling for increased funding for public universities and colleges as well as tuition assistance for students. We speak with SUNY Chancellor John King about higher education funding, enrollm…

Budget negotiations are underway at the State Capitol. We sat down with state Senate Finance Chair Liz Krueger (D-Manhattan) to unpack the chamber's one-house budget proposal and priorities. Michelle Jackson, of the Human Services Council, joins us to discuss a push to get a 3.2% cost of living adjustment for human service workers. It's Development…

On This Week's Edition of New York NOW: It's Women's History Month so we'll be diving into the state's approach to women's issues with Elise Kline, of WENY NEWS. We'll unpack a task force that will be created in the months ahead to examine the rates of missing BIPOC women and children and issue policy recommendations. State Senate Mental Health Com…

After Democrats struck down the independent redistricting commission's congressional map, the chambers passed their own version, which was signed into law by the governor. You can find more information about your congressional district here. We unpack the new congressional districts and how it all unfolded with Bill Mahoney, of POLITICO, and David …

In the latest Siena College Research Institute, Gov. Kathy Hochul saw a slight decrease in favorability while voters named cost of living as their top concern. A look behind the curtain at the daily lives of reporters in New York's Legislative Correspondents Association at the state Capitol - which is the longest-running press corps in the United S…

New York has continued to expand access to abortion care, but what about birth control? We speak with Jenna Bimbi, the Founder and Co-Executive Director of the New York Birth Access Project, about a campaign to make birth control accessible at state schools. Housing remains an top issue, after the governor and Legislature failed to come to an agree…

Explore the intricacies of New York's education budget proposal, scrutinizing funding allocations and the ensuing debates. From Governor Hochul's ambitious plans to the Legislature's expected interventions, understand the stakes for public schools across the state. Plus, journey into the Adirondacks with author Amy Godine as she reveals the hidden …

Gov. Kathy Hochul signed the Rape is Rape Act into law - expanding the state's definition of rape. We unpack the impact and history of the legislation with Maysoon Khan, of the Associated Press, and Ashley Hupfl, of the Daily Gazette. We dive into the testimony on the state's Medicaid spending at the Health Executive Budget Public Hearing. Assembly…

This week would have marked the 51st anniversary of Roe v. Wade. The Democratic-led state Senate passed a legislation aimed at strengthening reproductive rights. We examine the governor's proposals to fund the housing and migrant crisis in the FY'25 executive budget proposal. We unpack the process of running and the importance of competitive electi…

Gov. Kathy Hochul delivered her 2024 State of the State Address with her vision and framework for the year ahead. State lawmakers are looking ahead to the release of the executive budget next week for more details on the governor's proposals in the executive budget. Raga Justin, of the Times Union, joins us to discuss. Our NY& series unpacks the wo…

Governor Kathy Hochul delivers her 2024 State of the State address in the New York State Assembly Chamber.By WMHT Educational Telecommunications

It's a New Year - and the start of a new legislative session at the state Capitol. We recap the biggest political moments of the last year and unpack the pertinent policy issues expected to shape the 2024 legislative session with David Lombardo, of The Capitol Pressroom, Zach Williams, of Bloomberg Law, and Nick Reisman, of POLITICO. Join us on Tue…

On this week's edition of New York NOW, we dive into the opioid addiction and overdose crisis in New York state. Raga Justin, of the Times Union, joins us to discuss how the state has been using its opioid settlement funds. We also share episodes from WHMT's series on solutions and stories of the opioid crisis in New York - including the history of…