Dan Clark

Author of the Capitol Confidential newsletter from the Times Union. I've covered government and politics in New York for more than a decade.

CapCon New York

State budget voting begins! Here's what's in the first bill.

May 20, 2026

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7 min read

State budget voting begins! Here's what's in the first bill.

What's inside the Education, Labor, Housing and Family Assistance state budget bill printed Wednesday.

Dan Clark

CapCon New York

Lawmaker pay pause prompts new budget battle bill

May 19, 2026

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7 min read

Lawmaker pay pause prompts new budget battle bill

And an update on the timing of a state budget vote.

Dan Clark

CapCon New York

'Ambitious' for state budget vote to begin this week, Gianaris says

May 18, 2026

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7 min read

'Ambitious' for state budget vote to begin this week, Gianaris says

And another strike to a state gun law on concealed carry.

Dan Clark

CapCon New York

New York's age cap for judges could be struck down 157 years later

May 15, 2026

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8 min read

New York's age cap for judges could be struck down 157 years later

And the packaging reduction and health data privacy bills are moving next week.

Dan Clark

CapCon New York

'Very slim' chance state budget ends next week, Gianaris says

May 14, 2026

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8 min read

'Very slim' chance state budget ends next week, Gianaris says

And multiple redistricting measures could pass before session ends in June.

Dan Clark

CapCon New York

Data center package plotted as post-budget priority

May 13, 2026

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8 min read

Data center package plotted as post-budget priority

And how many (and which) bills have already passed both chambers this year.

Dan Clark

CapCon New York

New York's prisons watchdog missing members from Hochul

May 12, 2026

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8 min read

New York's prisons watchdog missing members from Hochul

And Blakeman has won his case in pursuit of public matching funds.

Dan Clark

CapCon New York

May 11, 2026

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8 min read

No state budget vote expected this week

And Hochul explains what happened with her budget announcement last week.

Dan Clark

CapCon New York

Pay-to-play questions resurface around NY pension fund

May 8, 2026

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8 min read

Pay-to-play questions resurface around NY pension fund

And the Health Department's backlog is impacting New Yorkers

Dan Clark, +1

CapCon New York

Hochul's state budget deal: Everything we know

May 7, 2026

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9 min read

Hochul's state budget deal: Everything we know

Lawmakers said such a deal had not been struck after Hochul announced it Thursday.

Dan Clark

CapCon New York

Breaking news: Hochul announces state budget deal

May 7, 2026

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1 min read

Breaking news: Hochul announces state budget deal

Budget bills are expected to come up for a vote next week.

Dan Clark

CapCon New York

Bruce Blakeman on tariff refunds and climate change

May 6, 2026

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7 min read

Bruce Blakeman on tariff refunds and climate change

And Democrats want Hochul to sign a bill to protect doctors that prescribe abortion medication.

Dan Clark

CapCon New York

Democrats in New York race the redistricting clock as session wanes

May 5, 2026

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7 min read

Democrats in New York race the redistricting clock as session wanes

And the state budget is 'really close to the beginning of the end.'

Dan Clark

CapCon New York

Hochul, lawmakers reach 'general agreement' on top policy roadblocks

May 4, 2026

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8 min read

Hochul, lawmakers reach 'general agreement' on top policy roadblocks

But a budget vote is not expected this week at the state Capitol.

Dan Clark

CapCon New York

Hochul: Next week 'should be a very significant week' for the state budget

May 1, 2026

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7 min read

Hochul: Next week 'should be a very significant week' for the state budget

And a bill to delay the electric school bus mandate is moving in the Legislature.

Dan Clark

CapCon New York

New York's 'Epstein loophole' and the bill that would close it

Apr 30, 2026

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7 min read

New York's 'Epstein loophole' and the bill that would close it

And an upstate opt-in to the pied-à-terre tax has now been proposed.

Dan Clark

CapCon New York

Apr 29, 2026

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8 min read

Redistricting in New York revived

Plus: Hochul's budget deal announcement will now be her latest since taking office.

Dan Clark

CapCon New York

Hochul rejects new Mamdani tax plan, budget talks near 'end of the middle'

Apr 28, 2026

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8 min read

Hochul rejects new Mamdani tax plan, budget talks near 'end of the middle'

And lawmakers are seeking to influence the Climate Act court case, new filings show.

Dan Clark

CapCon New York

Packaging bill rewritten in new push for passage

Apr 27, 2026

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8 min read

Packaging bill rewritten in new push for passage

And a seventh budget extender is passing with an eighth expected later this week.

Dan Clark

CapCon New York

Is a 22-year-old trying to hijack a Working Families ballot line?

Apr 25, 2026

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4 min read

Is a 22-year-old trying to hijack a Working Families ballot line?

And this week's Capitol cheat sheet.

Timothy Fanning, +1

CapCon New York

An auto insurance deal is close, sources say

Apr 24, 2026

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7 min read

An auto insurance deal is close, sources say

And New York wants pitches from developers for renewable energy projects

Dan Clark, +1

CapCon New York

Big beauty battles Senate-approved cosmetics chemicals bill

Apr 23, 2026

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7 min read

Big beauty battles Senate-approved cosmetics chemicals bill

And cannabis retailers can now stage farmers market-style events in New York.

Dan Clark

CapCon New York

Heastie wants budget power imbalance fix, says reporters are 'silent'

Apr 22, 2026

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7 min read

Heastie wants budget power imbalance fix, says reporters are 'silent'

And Hochul bans state employees from insider trading on prediction markets.

Dan Clark

CapCon New York

Trump breaks with NY GOP in race to replace Stefanik

Apr 21, 2026

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7 min read

Trump breaks with NY GOP in race to replace Stefanik

And unemployment in New York hits a 4-year high.

Dan Clark

CapCon New York

State budget deal not expected this week

Apr 20, 2026

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7 min read

State budget deal not expected this week

And a new bill would pause state support for new nuclear energy.

Dan Clark