More nominees and interesting bills up in the Senate next week, Hochul's in Ireland
Plus: What readers said they're watching at the Capitol, and a poll on last month's cyberattack.
Good afternoon — it’s Friday and Pizza Party Day.
FRIDAY, MAY 17, 2024
TODAY’S CAPCON:
Hochul is in Ireland, where she met the Taoiseach and drank a Guinness
POLL: Will we ever learn more about the April cyberattack on the Bill Drafting Commission?
The Senate is scheduled to consider more of Hochul’s nominees next week
And some pretty interesting bills are on the Senate’s agenda
What readers said they were watching at the Capitol
NEW CAPCON SECTION: “From the Notebook” features what was left on the cutting room floor for the week
DiNapoli’s budget analysis came out Friday
🔨 Is Monday a Session Day? Yes.
🌷 Tonight’s Weather: Albany: Mostly cloudy, rain possible, high 50s. New York City: Mostly cloudy, high 50s. (National Weather Service)
🍀 Hochul hops to Ireland, meets with prime minister
🍺 She also drank some Guinness, and signed a partnership deal
Gov. Kathy HOCHUL’s trip to Europe continued Friday, this time, in Ireland.
Ireland’s Taoiseach, which is their version of a prime minister, literally rolled out the red carpet for her before they met Friday. That’s Simon Harris. (It’s pronounced “TAY-shuh,” by the way.)
From there, she went to Ireland’s Guinness Enterprise Centre, where they don’t actually make Guinness, but apparently have plenty on hand to offer guests.
Hochul had at least one.


She signed a memorandum of understanding while she was there that promises to formalize the state’s economic development relationship with Irish entrepreneurs.
“This agreement between New York, the Guinness Enterprise Centre and Furthr creates real opportunities for startups and early-stage businesses on both sides of the Atlantic to grow and innovate,” Hochul said in a statement.
She’ll remain in Ireland through Sunday.
🏛️ Senate to consider two more Hochul agency nominees next week
🖋️ With three weeks left in this year’s legislative session, lawmakers are looking to clear the bench.
The Senate plans to consider two nominees from Hochul next week to lead two state agencies.
Walter Mosley, Hochul’s nominee for state secretary of state, will face questions from the Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday.
And Robert Rodriguez, who was secretary of state but is now nominated to lead the Dormitory Authority, will also face questions the same day from both the Finance and the Corporations committees.
The Finance Committee’s meeting is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. in CAP 124 if you’re interested in attending. Both nominees will be considered in that meeting.
The committee will also consider nominees to the Public Health and Health Planning Council, the Health Equity Council, and four other niche entities.
✋ Bills of interest being considered by the Senate next week
🗒️ I looked through the bills the Senate is considering next week in committees and pulled a few I thought you’d all be interested in.
Some of these are bills I’ve written about, some are not. But all are pretty interesting.
Wrongful Death: S8485A HOYLMAN-SIGAL: This is the wrongful death bill, also called the Grieving Families Act. I laid out everything about that bill in yesterday’s CapCon, which you can read at this link. Senate passage of the bill could indicate the Assembly will do so as well.
This bill is on the agenda for the Finance Committee.
Open Carry: S9137A GIANARIS: This bill would ban open carry for long guns in New York.
This is on the agenda for the Codes Committee.
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