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Capitol Confidential

@capitolconfidental.bsky.social
71 followers 5 following 413 posts

An exclusive inside look at the latest in New York government and politics.

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Capitol Confidential @capitolconfidental.bsky.social · 7h
Three retail workers are asking a federal appellate court to limit Gov. Kathy Hochul’s power to include policy items in the state budget. Here’s why.
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Hochul's budget policy power challenged
And 4 bills advocates want lawmakers to pass after the Cornell case
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Capitol Confidential @capitolconfidental.bsky.social · 15h
Democrats who control the state Legislature are asking Hochul to reverse course on opting in to a controversial federal school choice tax credit.
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Heastie, ASC want Hochul to reject school choice tax credit
And Rosenthal's new bill in response to the Cornell case
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Capitol Confidential @capitolconfidental.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
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Hochul and AOC align upstate
And the betting power of online sports gambling operators in this year's elections
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Capitol Confidential @capitolconfidental.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Gov. Kathy Hochul was with U.S. Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Pat Ryan in the Hudson Valley Tuesday. She said not to read into it. Link in comments.
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Capitol Confidential @capitolconfidental.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Gov. Kathy Hochul was with U.S. Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Pat Ryan in the Hudson Valley Tuesday. She said not to read into it. www.capitolconfidential.com/p/hochul-and...
capitolconfidential.com
Hochul and AOC align upstate
And the betting power of online sports gambling operators in this year's elections
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Capitol Confidential @capitolconfidental.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
A rare off-session rally at the state Capitol featured opponents to the controversial Constitution Pipeline project. They brought Hochul water.
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Capitol Confidential @capitolconfidental.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
If you were hoping for answers to big questions — like the chances of AI posing a catastrophic risk to society — you will be as disappointed as Speaker Julie Menin was with the results of her inquiries to those companies.
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'I don't know': What AI companies told the NYC Council
And Blakeman's public matching funds claims prompt questions
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Capitol Confidential @capitolconfidental.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Daniel Wiesenfeld claims in new email that he has records that would affirm the NY attorney general's office improperly targeted Trump
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Assistant attorney general refuses to return 'confidential' records
Daniel Wiesenfeld claims in new email that he has records that would affirm the NY attorney general's office improperly targeted Trump
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Capitol Confidential @capitolconfidental.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
The newsletter: bit.ly/4dRzeWh
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How Hochul wants NY's rape laws changed
And 5 takeaways from the state comptroller's race debate last night
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Capitol Confidential @capitolconfidental.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Gov. Kathy Hochul said Friday she wants to change New York’s rape laws in response to the case at Cornell. There’s already a bill and here’s where it stands. Link in comments:
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Capitol Confidential @capitolconfidental.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
More: bit.ly/4diG9aU
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Two bills the Cornell case could catalyze
And the case of Judith Enck vs. Starbucks over their plastic cups
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Capitol Confidential @capitolconfidental.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
A group backing the packaging reduction bill tried tracking Starbucks cups to see if they were actually being recycled. We sent Starbucks the results. Here’s what they said and what the group said back. Link in comments.
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Capitol Confidential @capitolconfidental.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
State lawmakers say they want to revive two bills to strengthen protections for sexual assault survivors following the alleged incident at Cornell.
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Two bills the Cornell case could catalyze
And the case of Judith Enck vs. Starbucks over their plastic cups
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Capitol Confidential @capitolconfidental.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
New York won’t be able to raise the minimum wage in January as expected because of a state law restriction. Hochul is seeking to raise it anyway.
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Hochul's minimum wage freeze fix
And the Assembly forms a working group in response to the incident at Cornell
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Capitol Confidential @capitolconfidental.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
The Legislative session ended in June. So Why does Gov. Kathy Hochul keep New Yorkers waiting until nearly the end of the year on the more controversial bills that passed?
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Capitol Confidential @capitolconfidental.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
A lawsuit detailing how an alleged sexual assault was handled at Cornell University has rocked Albany, with Hochul and lawmakers seeking action.
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Albany eyes action as Cornell rape case reopens
And Assemblyman Phil Steck is under fire over his outside income
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Capitol Confidential @capitolconfidental.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
State lawmakers met in Albany Tuesday to discuss their strategy on what’s become a controversial but consequential issue: battery energy storage.
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Battery energy storage solutions sought by state lawmakers
And Hochul signs five bills on the environment and police pensions
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Capitol Confidential @capitolconfidental.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
The newsletter: bit.ly/4jtnhtr
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Hochul's pitch to big business
And a new report on local ethics
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Capitol Confidential @capitolconfidental.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
The boards responsible for overseeing ethics at local governments across New York’s largest towns, cities and counties don’t appear to be in operation, a new report found. Story in comments.
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Capitol Confidential @capitolconfidental.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
The newsletter: bit.ly/4yhtJZ6
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Hochul's pitch to big business
And a new report on local ethics
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Capitol Confidential @capitolconfidental.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Gov. Kathy Hochul was in Warren County to speak to business leaders at their annual meeting. Here’s what she said on her record and what’s ahead. Story in the comments.
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Capitol Confidential @capitolconfidental.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
A coalition of Democrats in the state Legislature came out against a proposal for the state to subsidize Hochul’s plan for 5 GW of nuclear energy by 2040.
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Should New Yorkers pay for Hochul's nuclear fleet?
And new rules around prison disciplinary proceedings are proposed
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Capitol Confidential @capitolconfidental.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
The newsletter: bit.ly/3SZJULy
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A tale of two polls in the NY governor's race
And 14 bills have hit Hochul's desk, including a few ripe for Climate Week
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Capitol Confidential @capitolconfidental.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Here's the deal with Gov. Kathy Hochul and Spam sandwiches, and whether it resonates with New Yorkers. More on polling in New York's governor's race in the link in comments.
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Capitol Confidential @capitolconfidental.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Two polls on the race for governor released Wednesday show very different results for Gov. Kathy Hochul and her Republican opponent, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman.
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A tale of two polls in the NY governor's race
And 14 bills have hit Hochul's desk, including a few ripe for Climate Week
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Capitol Confidential @capitolconfidental.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
A new lawsuit alleges “anti-male bias” from leadership at the state Justice Center for the Protection of People With Special Needs.
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'Anti-male bias' alleged at NY's Justice Center
Also: Suicide attempts and assaults on civilian staff in New York's prisons are up
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Capitol Confidential @capitolconfidental.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
The newsletter: bit.ly/4cY7Sxm
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AI 'kill switches' and the TERMINATOR Act
And another $1M for a pro-Blakeman super PAC from a former casino magnate
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Capitol Confidential @capitolconfidental.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Gov. Kathy Hochul said New York could next consider “AI kill switches.” Link in comments.
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Capitol Confidential @capitolconfidental.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
New York has a new “sheriff of AI street,” according to Gov. Kathy Hochul, who said Monday the state could next consider “AI kill switches.”
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AI 'kill switches' and the TERMINATOR Act
And another $1M for a pro-Blakeman super PAC from a former casino magnate
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Capitol Confidential @capitolconfidental.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
New York continues to face challenges to new housing development. Among them are insurance costs. The Hochul administration could soon consider if changing the state’s 141-year-old '“Scaffold Law” is the key to that problem.
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Hochul eyes 141-year-old Scaffold Law in housing push
And the state will pay Robert Brooks' family $24 million to settle lawsuits
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Capitol Confidential @capitolconfidental.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
New York is now actively soliciting whistleblower complaints from employees at AI companies that may be skirting state law.
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New York wants AI whistleblowers to reach out
And the Legislature's outside income cap would be lifted by two new bills
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Capitol Confidential @capitolconfidental.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
ICYMI: The number of measles cases in New York has already outpaced what the state saw last year. Here’s where they’re concentrated. More: bit.ly/472Oiwt
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Capitol Confidential @capitolconfidental.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
State lawmakers are urging Hochul to take action as suicide rates in rural New York outpace what’s recorded in urban centers.
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Rural New York's suicide stats raise red flags
And where measles cases are concentrated in New York
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Capitol Confidential @capitolconfidental.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
A looming deadline for New York to opt into a federal school voucher program prompts a new PAC and proactive action from opponents.
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NY's looming school choice fight
And a school choice group launches a New York super PAC
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Capitol Confidential @capitolconfidental.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
ICYMI: The state’s top education officials set New York on a path Monday to no longer require students to pass regents exams in order to graduate.
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NY moves to drop Regents exam graduation requirement
And the state leads litigation against new 'public charge' proposal for immigrants
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Capitol Confidential @capitolconfidental.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
The state’s top education officials set New York on a path Monday to no longer require students to pass regents exams in order to graduate.
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NY moves to drop Regents exam graduation requirement
And the state leads litigation against new 'public charge' proposal for immigrants
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Capitol Confidential @capitolconfidental.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
New York’s top court will hear a case brought by the survivors and family members of the victims of the 2022 mass shooting in Buffalo against the country’s largest social media companies. More: bit.ly/4rd1yYD
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Capitol Confidential @capitolconfidental.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
New York’s top state court will hear a case next week spurred by the 2022 Buffalo mass shooting against the country’s social media giants.
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NY's top court to hear case against social media giants
And New York considers a new prison after closing several others
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Capitol Confidential @capitolconfidental.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
“Countless” lawmakers in New York are using AI to draft floor speeches, and a new bill introduced this week would require them to disclose when they use that technology.
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Did AI write that speech? New York bill would make lawmakers say
Also: Millions in teacher shortage aid isn't being used
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Capitol Confidential @capitolconfidental.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
A trade group representing online sports betting platforms dumped hundreds of thousands of dollars into a super PAC in support of Gov. Kathy Hochul as her administration seeks to kill its competition.
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Sports betting giants boost Hochul amid Kalshi conflict
And Hochul signs three bills impacting workers and public sector unions
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Capitol Confidential @capitolconfidental.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
ICYMI: Hochul also defended New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani Tuesday after a pair of high-profile Republicans called on him to sit out this Friday’s 9/11 ceremony.
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Hochul: 'Idiotic trade war' impacting New York
And a top Albany lobbyist forms a pro-Hochul super PAC while another is created to oppose a planned tax in the Hudson Valley
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Capitol Confidential @capitolconfidental.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Gov. Kathy Hochul is escalating her attacks on the White House over what she says is an '“idiotic trade war” over “settling personal scores.” More: bit.ly/46OsBjy
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Capitol Confidential @capitolconfidental.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
One hundred thirty people died in New York prisons last year. Some prisoners struggle to obtain hearings seeking medical parole release.
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Sick and elderly, some NY prisoners struggle to get a medical parole hearing
One hundred thirty people died in New York prisons last year. Some prisoners struggle to obtain hearings seeking medical parole release.
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Capitol Confidential @capitolconfidental.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
The story: www.timesunion.com/capitol/arti...
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A great lawn could transform the Empire State Plaza
New York released a $25 million Empire State Plaza plan to add green space, improve access and better connect the Albany site.
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Capitol Confidential @capitolconfidental.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
New York's $25M blueprint for the Empire State Plaza would add green space, improve access and better connect the sprawling government center to the city around it. Full story in the comments.
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Capitol Confidential @capitolconfidental.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
“Operation Rotten Apple” was in response to a new state law limiting local police agencies from collaborating with federal immigration efforts, officials said.
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ICE arrested nearly 2,200 people in New York during monthlong operation
“Operation Rotten Apple” was in response to a new state law limiting local police agencies from collaborating with federal immigration efforts, officials said.
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Capitol Confidential @capitolconfidental.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
New York paid nearly $11,000 for an eight-day Capitol excavation delay, but officials cite security and won’t say what caused it.
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New York Capitol delay costs $11,000, state won't explain
New York paid nearly $11,000 for an eight-day Capitol excavation delay, but officials cite security and won’t say what caused it.
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Capitol Confidential @capitolconfidental.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
ICYMI: New York dropped its approved changes to health insurance rates Friday and only one company is getting what it asked for. Health plans say the new rates don’t reflect the reality of health care costs.
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New York's new health insurance rates
And a CapCon Q&A on New York's social needs program for Medicaid recipients
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Capitol Confidential @capitolconfidental.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
New York dropped its approved changes to health insurance rates Friday and only one company is getting what it asked for. Health plans say the new rates don’t reflect the reality of health care costs.
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New York's new health insurance rates
And a CapCon Q&A on New York's social needs program for Medicaid recipients
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Capitol Confidential @capitolconfidental.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
New York released a $25 million Empire State Plaza plan to add green space, improve access and better connect the Albany site.
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A great lawn could transform the Empire State Plaza
New York released a $25 million Empire State Plaza plan to add green space, improve access and better connect the Albany site.
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