Hochul to Stefanik: 'I don't really care what she says'

And New York's Pro-Choice Caucus is tired of waiting for Hochul to sign these 5 bills.

Good afternoon — It’s Wednesday and World Dyslexia Day.

In today’s CapCon:

• Gov. Kathy Hochul responded to ‘outrageous’ attacks Wednesday from U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, her likely Republican opponent next year.

• Here are the five bills the Pro-Choice Caucus in the state Legislature is tired of waiting for Hochul to consider.

• The yellow-shirted supporters of the Medical Aid in Dying Act were back at the state Capitol Wednesday.

• A poll commissioned by Stefanik’s campaign shows that she could pull ahead of Hochul in 2026.

• The state Legislature is holding a few hearings next week.

Names in today’s CapCon: Liz Krueger, Karines Reyes, Linda B. Rosenthal, Michelle Hinchey, Corinne Carey, Dennis Poust, Kathy Hochul, Donald J. Trump, Elise Stefanik, Zohran Mamdani

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State Sen. Liz Krueger (Jim Franco/Times Union)

✒️ NY’s Pro-Choice Caucus wants to know why Hochul hasn’t signed these 5 bills

State lawmakers in the Pro-Choice Legislative Caucus are tired of waiting for Gov. Kathy Hochul to consider a package of bills on abortion and health care access.

The 117-member caucus sent a letter to Hochul Wednesday that laid out each bill and asked Hochul for her approval. They spoke with reporters later in the morning to explain their efforts.

“There’s just no time to delay,” said state Sen. Liz Krueger, who co-chairs the caucus with Assemblywoman Karines Reyes. “We have to get bolder, more innovative — and we have no choice, frankly.”

Krueger sponsors one of the five bills on the list: the New York Health Information Privacy Act, which would prohibit the sale of personal health data in New York. Assemblywoman Linda B. Rosenthal carries it in her chamber.

That bill passed the Legislature in January. It’s not the first time that Krueger and her colleagues have asked Hochul for its approval. I asked Krueger if she knew where Hochul’s head was at. She said Hochul’s history would signal support.

“Our governor has a strong and proud record of supporting reproductive health and sexual health,” Krueger said. “So we’re hoping that we’re sort of kick-starting some attention to Linda’s and my bill and the other four bills.”

The other bills don’t deal with digital data but are all rooted in health care, particularly reproductive and gender-affirming care.