It's the Brian Laird Show on WNYC and Bridget Bergen Senior reporter in the WNYC and

Gotham Newsroom filling in for Brian Laird today. Yesterday Brian talked to my

colleague WNYC and Gothamist reporter John Campbell

about the new legislative session just getting underway in Albany.

Today we're going to dig into what we know about the governor's agenda so far this year. Her big state of the state

address is coming up Tuesday where she'll lay out more of her priorities and she's

been giving daily previews of a few items including consumer protections, how reading is taught in schools, and maternal health.

Joining me now to tell us more about those items and what else to watch for next week.

I'm joined by Grace Ashford, New York Times reporter covering

New York State politics and government. Grace, welcome to WNYC.

Hey Bridget, thanks so much for having me. And listeners, are you familiar with Governor Hockel's proposals on

maternal health, teaching reading, or the consumer protections that include

eliminating insulin co-pays and protection for medical debt? Do you have a question for our guests, Grace Ashford of the New York Times?

You can call or text us at 2 and 2.433 WNYC. That's 212 433 962.

And Grace, let's start with the governor's announcement yesterday

and work backwards.

She's proposing new legislation to address what she's calling a crisis in maternal health.

This is how she introduced her plan.

Our infant mortality rates not going down, but actually went up. And that is so shocking.

Mothers and babies are dying unnecessarily across the nation

and right here in New York.

This can only be called a crisis.

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