2025 Advocacy Day

LeadingAge NY is preparing for another NYS budget and legislative session, and this year we are aiming to accomplish more than ever before! The Executive Budget Proposal is expected to be announced on Jan. 21^st, and state budget negotiations will run from then until April 1^st. Following approximately 10 weeks of deep budget deliberations, the process will conclude with three-way negotiations and the passage of a final budget for State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2025-26.

February will be a key time to get in front of state legislators to advocate for critical state budget actions aimed at stabilizing NY’s long-term care system and workforce.

Please join us for our LeadingAge NY Advocacy Day to support our efforts!

When: Feb. 4, 2025

Where: Meeting Room 5, Empire State Plaza Convention Center (279 Madison Ave., Albany, NY 12242)

How:

1. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER for LeadingAge NY's 2025 Advocacy Day!
2. Once you are registered, CALL YOUR STATE SENATOR AND ASSEMBLY MEMBER's Albany offices to request an in-person meeting on Tues., Feb. 4^th. As an additional resource for individuals new to advocacy, we have developed this Legislative Scheduling Guide to assist members in setting up meetings.
3. Once your meetings are scheduled, please send your meeting details to Sarah Daly at sdaly@leadingageny.org and Saleena Ali at sali@leadingageny.org. This is critical to enhancing our organization, collaboration, and overall advocacy impact.

Please note that we recommend members schedule their own legislative meetings, as it often results in a timelier response and the legislator themselves joining the meeting. This is because legislators prioritize constituent requests. Again, members can easily find out who their lawmakers are, along with relevant contact information, by using our Find My Legislators tool. 

*Please note: Your legislator may have changed due to the 2024 elections! Check out LeadingAge NY’s 2024 election coverage to see if you are in a district that has had a change in representation.

What to Expect on Advocacy Day

Agenda:

• 8 A.M. – Welcome Table Is Open and Breakfast Available
• 9:45 A.M. – Breakfast Ends
• 11:45 A.M. – Lunch Is Served
• 1:45 P.M. – Lunch Ends
• 5 P.M. – Meeting Room Will Be Closed; be sure to gather any of your jackets/belongings from the room before this time.

Parking:

Parking can be a challenge on busy session days at the Capitol, and we are expecting this particular date to be extremely busy. Below are a few best options to find parking, but early arrival will be very helpful in finding a good spot:

• Visitor’s Parking Lot – 5 Mall Arterial, Albany, NY 12210
• Madison Ave. Lot – 159 Park Ave., Albany, NY 12207
• Park at a Hotel: Albany Hilton (40 Lodge St., Albany, NY 12207) or Renaissance Hotel (67 Howard St., Albany, NY 12207)
• Metered Street Parking is also an option.

At our Welcome Table in Meeting Room 5, LeadingAge NY will provide nametags, advocacy buttons, printed legislative meeting materials/handouts, meeting schedules for members to carry with them throughout the day, and more. We will also be providing breakfast and lunch in the room, and LeadingAge NY staff will be present at any time to answer any questions or concerns. LeadingAge NY members will be welcome to congregate or work remotely in the room between meetings.

Legislative materials and “handouts” for legislators will be provided in person and posted on this website no later than Jan. 31^st. These handouts will be created to share with legislative offices before and after meetings.

Finally, to ensure that our members are familiar with what is in the SFY 2025-26 Executive Budget Proposal and all details of our 2025 Advocacy Day, LeadingAge NY will be hosting a Budget and Advocacy Day Prep Call on Jan. 31^st at 11 a.m. During this member-focused prep call, LeadingAge NY policy staff will review the Executive Budget Proposal’s potential impact on members, related budget advocacy materials/messaging, and answer any questions members may have. All Advocacy Day registrants will receive a direct Zoom meeting invitation to the call. The webinar will be recorded and shared with members following the call to ensure that all members, regardless of Advocacy Day participation, will be apprised of our latest unified advocacy message in light of the Executive Budget Proposal.

We hope that you will join us for these 2025 budget advocacy activities! Advocacy Days are an incredibly impactful way to bring many voices together at a specific time to enhance the relevance and weight of our message to lawmakers. Last year, LeadingAge NY and nearly 100 member advocates came together to attend over 90 meetings with state legislators in just one day. This year, we aim to exceed last year’s level of advocacy in order to secure meaningful funding reforms and stabilize the state’s long-term care system.

Thank you in advance for your participation in advocacy during this critical time!

Contacts: Sarah Daly, sdaly@leadingageny.org, 518-867-8845 and Saleena Ali, sali@leadingageny.org