Why New York is releasing hundreds early from state prisons

And New York's population is now going up. Read to find out where.

Good afternoon — it’s Wednesday and Autism Awareness Day.

In today’s CapCon:

• Not much has changed in state budget talks since Tuesday afternoon.

• DOCCS Commissioner Daniel F. Martuscello spoke to reporters Wednesday about why the state is releasing hundreds of people early from prison.

• New York’s population is now growing. No, this isn’t a late April Fools’ Day joke.

• A federal judge allowed the bribery case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams to be dismissed Wednesday.

• On The Bill: A new bill would penalize people who help a lobbyist or elected official break the state’s ethics laws.

• Another new bill would create a new criminal charge for when someone draws or displays the symbol of a terrorist organization on a building.

Names in today’s CapCon: Kathy Hochul, Eric Adams, Micah Lasher, Tony Simone, Erik Dilan, James Skoufis, Daniel Martuscello, Mike Gianaris

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The state budget was due April 1. We’re keeping you updated on negotiations around the spending plan.

💰 Budget talks are ‘a little’ different from Tuesday

If you were to ask a member of the Legislature where budget talks stood Wednesday, they would tell you there’s nothing to report.

But Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl E. Heastie met with Gov. Kathy Hochul Wednesday afternoon for at least an hour. Democrats in the Senate then met for about two hours. I don’t know about the Assembly.

I’m assuming they were talking about something and not just trading cookie recipes. If they were, feel free to send me some. As of this CapCon, we don’t know more.

I lingered outside the Assembly Democrats huddle yesterday to ask where things stood so today I decided to try my luck in the Senate. I asked Senate Deputy Majority Leader Mike Gianaris if things were a lot different from Tuesday afternoon.

“Not a lot, but a little,” Gianaris said. He had to run to session.

There has been one development: language on pretrial criminal discovery is now going back and forth between Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office and both chambers.

That doesn’t mean they’re necessarily close to an agreement but at least the wheels are turning to some extent.

The latest projection from lawmakers and staff is that bills could be passed by the end of next week.

I can confirm that’s a realistic timeframe if the budget begins to come together. So, for now, take a deep breath and we’ll regroup tomorrow when we know more.

DOCCS Commissioner Daniel F. Martuscello

⚖️ New York is releasing hundreds of people from prison early. Here’s why

We learned on Monday in this story from the Times Union’s Brendan J. Lyons that New York is planning to release people early from prisons.

That’s to help lower the number of people in prison after the state fired around 2,000 correction officers who participated in last month’s strikes. That’s left prisons even more understaffed than they already were.

We now have a few more details on that. Daniel F. Martuscello III, commissioner of the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, held an impromptu media availability with reporters Wednesday afternoon.