Last year New York passed a law to allow the state Department of Financial Services to issue regulations over Buy Now, Pay Later loans. It was the first law of its kind in the country. The agency issued its first pass at those regulations Monday. Get more in the newsletter: tinyurl.com/2jktd7rp

It’s the last week of hearings on the state budget. Five remain, including one scheduled for this afternoon on higher education. Gov. Kathy Hochul isn’t proposing any huge changes in that sector but we've got a few highlights in the newsletter. Read it here: tinyurl.com/2jktd7rp

The Dignity Not Detention Act, which would prohibit county jails from being used for immigrant detention, is expected to move in the Assembly this week for the first time since it was introduced in 2021.

Snow falling in Albany. With session canceled, even state politics gets a snow day.

A year after NY’s prison strike, DOCCS suspended HALT Act programming meant to curb harms caused by solitary confinement. Now a judge allowed lawsuit from inmates move forward as a class action against NY. Commissioner Daniel F. Martuscello III on reopening programs. More: tinyurl.com/bdzkd7nt

Epstein invited Cuomo to his island in 2014 through real estate tycoon Andrew Farkas, according to text messages released by the U.S. Department of Justice. Cuomo said he did not go.

There’s value in each state budget hearing but there may be particular interest in what’s said about taxes on Thursday given New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s push for the state to raise income taxes on the wealthy. Much more in the newsletter: tinyurl.com/bdzkd7nt

Gov. Kathy Hochul attended a meeting of governors with President Donald J. Trump Friday and said she emerged with a “reassuring” result for New York City. Plus: A judge is allowing litigation against New York over suspended programming under the HALT Act to proceed as a class action lawsuit.

There's lots to unpack about the changes Gov. Kathy Hochul made to her executive budget yesterday. We're still digging through them. These changes include more than $2 billion in new spending and at least one significant policy shift. Much more in the newsletter: tinyurl.com/33kkkccn

Raj Goyle is one of three Democrats challenging incumbent state Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli for their party’s nomination in that race. He wants to use the power of the comptroller’s office to fight the federal government’s deportation efforts. Learn how on the podcast.

Gov. Kathy Hochul’s 30-day budget amendments include more than $2 billion in new spending and at least one significant policy shift. It includes items we didn’t know about.

A provision of Gov. Kathy Hochul's proposed executive budget this year would “erode” oversight to the tune of at least $4 billion in state spending over the next fiscal year, said state Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. Read the newsletter here: tinyurl.com/48f74e38

To audit Medicaid, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said he would create a team akin to the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency created by the administration of President Donald J. Trump at the start of last year. Read the newsletter: tinyurl.com/48f74e38

The New York Court of Appeals reversed a child sex abuse finding Tuesday over “deepfake” concerns. A stark warning then came from a dissenting judge. Read the newsletter:tinyurl.com/mvvj7ef9

ICYMI: New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said Tuesday the state could either allow tax hikes on high-income earners or see property taxes skyrocket.

Mamdani’s ultimatum to Albany draws opposition from Gov. Kathy Hochul, who has been staunchly opposed to that idea and has shown no signs of changing her position. Read the newsletter here: tinyurl.com/mvvj7ef9

Mamdani’s ultimatum to Albany draws opposition from Gov. Kathy Hochul, who has been staunchly opposed to that idea and has shown no signs of changing her position. Read the newsletter here: tinyurl.com/mvvj7ef9

Nursing homes are seeking clarity on how the Hochul administration wants to spend $1.5 billion in aid split between them and hospitals. Meanwhile, community clinics were surprised to find that $40 million in last year’s budget has been zeroed out. More in the newsletter: tinyurl.com/3uaw92pr

The New York state transportation budget hearing is usually a snoozefest, but a lawmaker shouting at another to “shut up” woke everyone up on Feb. 3. Read the full newsletter here: tinyurl.com/4ane7zs7

Democrats in New York's Legislature are considering two new bills that would protect immigrants from being arrested by federal immigration officers and deter the actions of those officers. Read the newsletter here: tinyurl.com/3uaw92pr

Proponents of the packaging reduction/extended producer responsibility bill are taking a new approach toward passage after a narrow defeat last year. Plus: Hochul is asking the public to submit their own proposals for how the state could cut or modify unnecessary or burdensome regulations.

New York's Protect Our Courts Act was enforced during 11 of those nearly 60 visits. ICE officers arrived intending to make an arrest but, without a judicial warrant, were turned away and prevented from doing so. Read more about ICE enforcement in New York courts here: tinyurl.com/ywfdpukj

New York drivers will soon face heftier penalties for dangerous driving convictions, including more points on their licenses. Read the full story here: tinyurl.com/3wcdcf4h

New York is tracking ICE officer activity at courthouses but officials say they’re using another part of the justice system to make arrests instead.

An exchange between Assemblyman Ari Brown and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Wednesday grew so heated that it was shut down by Democratic leadership. Read more about Mamdani's first budget hearing here: tinyurl.com/5xaafaer

Mamdani finds $5 billion to cut budget gap but says city still needs state’s help. Plus: Here’s what to expect during tomorrow’s state budget hearing on courts, crime and corrections, including an update on state prisons.

“It’s a good idea,” state Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said of Antonio Delgado’s decision to drop out of the race, which he announced while she was holding a press event. There were gasps in the room when Dan asked for her reaction.

ICYMI: The state budget hearing today is focused on Hochul’s proposed spending in health care and Medicaid. You can expect plenty of questions about the Hochul administration’s strategy in response to changes enacted in the “One Big Beautiful Bill” approved last year by Congress.

Capitol Confidential is your eyes and ears at the State Capitol, where politicians and newsmakers debate key policy issues that affect you every day. Learn more on our website.

There’s a new minority leader in the state Assembly: Edward P. Ra. Plus, Republicans unanimously voted to elect Ed Ra as the new minority leader of the state Assembly.

Gov. Kathy Hochul has until midnight tonight to act on two bills approved by the state Legislature last year. She plans to pocket veto one of them, sources in the state Legislature say. Which bill is it? We've got some clues.

Gov. Kathy Hochul released her executive budget proposal and outlined her agenda. But she’s also up for reelection, raising the stakes for what she’s able to accomplish between now and November. We sat down with Hochul at the Hearst Media Center. Here's what we talked about.

We learned more about some of the concerns that lawmakers have with Gov. Kathy Hochul’s proposals to expand access to child care Thursday. That and much more in today's CapCon.

In case you didn't catch our chat with Gov. Kathy Hochul last week, we've got it here on the podcast. We talked to Hochul about her future in politics, high energy bills, immigration policy and more. Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts.

Hochul announced her new running mate Wednesday — then Democrats in Brooklyn rescinded their endorsement of her reelection bid.

ICYMI: The transportation budget hearing is usually a snoozefest, but a lawmaker shouting at another to “shut up” woke everyone up Tuesday. Plus: There's a budget hearing today focused Hochul’s proposals on mental health and addiction services.

Gov. Kathy Hochul joined us for a sit-down interview at the Hearst Media Center Monday. Here are five takeaways.

New York has finalized key regulations spurred during the coronavirus pandemic to crack down on price gouging during emergencies, five years later.

ICYMI: There's much more to CapCon than the lead stories. Democrats are rallying for new immigration protections after Alex Pretti's killing in Minnesota. Plus, tomorrow's budget hearing on education has a point of interest you should know about.

New York’s renewable energy mandates face an uncertain future amid multiple avenues that could lead to their suspension. Plus: The state utility regulator is considering if the state could replicate actions recently taken in New Jersey to benefit ratepayers.

ICYMI: There's much more to CapCon than the lead story. Farmers in New York are worried that workforce gaps will grow wider while immigration raids carried out by the Trump admin continue, the state agriculture commissioner said Tuesday.

New York’s population held stable but that’s not necessarily good news, U.S. Census Bureau data shows. The state could lose two seats in Congress.

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority’s new operating plan is focused on affordability. Plus: Here's what's happening at the state Capitol tomorrow:

ICYMI: There’s a conflict brewing between Gov. Kathy Hochul and the state Legislature on New York’s energy transition but part of it could become moot based on what happens this week.

There’s a conflict brewing between Gov. Kathy Hochul and the state Legislature on New York’s energy transition but part of it could become moot based on what happens next week.

We spoke with a few folks who are intimately familiar with how new districts are drawn to get a better sense of what could happen behind the scenes.

Meet Drew Warshaw, who most recently helped lead a national housing nonprofit, and is challenging Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. Warshaw wants to use the state's pension fund for public workers for new priorities and change how the money that goes into it is invested.

There’s a lot in Gov. Kathy Hochul’s five Article VII state budget bills, which were released yesterday afternoon. We went through all five of them, line-by-line, and pulled more than 20 proposals across them that have been overlooked.

On Feb. 2, CapCon's Dan Clark will interview Gov. Kathy Hochul in a post–State of the State and Executive Budget check-in. You can register here.

You probably already know by now that Hochul unveiled a $260 billion state budget proposal yesterday. We spoke to legislative leaders from the Senate and Assembly. Plus, we've got the schedule for the state budget hearings for the next month.