Register Today for 2026 Advocacy Day!
(Jan. 20, 2026) LeadingAge NY is gearing up for the upcoming NYS budget and legislative session! The Executive Budget Proposal was released today, Jan. 20th, and state budget negotiations will take place from now until April 1st. After roughly 10 weeks of deliberations, the process will conclude with three-way negotiations and passage of the State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2026-27 budget.
Please join us for our 2026 Advocacy Day in Albany!
When: Feb. 3, 2026
Where: Meeting Room 1, Empire State Plaza Convention Center (279 Madison Ave., Albany, NY 12242)
Why: February is a critical time to meet with state legislators and advocate for the state funding actions that are necessary to help stabilize NY’s long-term care system and workforce and ensure access to quality care for older adults and individuals living with complex medical conditions. Legislators need to hear real-life stories directly from providers, staff, and consumers to understand the urgent need for more adequate funding.
How: CLICK HERE TO REGISTER for LeadingAge NY's 2026 Advocacy Day.
- If you would like LeadingAge NY assistance in scheduling meetings, please complete your registration by Jan. 23rd.
- If you are scheduling your own meetings, please be sure to share your meeting schedule and details (date, time, and legislator) with Sarah Daly at sdaly@leadingageny.org and Mari-Carmen Grimm at mgrimm@leadingageny.org. This is critical to enhancing our organization, collaboration, and overall advocacy impact. Please share your schedule of meetings by Jan. 30th, if possible.
Please note that we recommend members schedule their own legislative meetings, when possible. Scheduling meetings with legislators helps build your relationships with offices, makes a clear district connection, and is more likely to result in the legislator themselves joining the meeting despite their busy schedules. However, if you do not have the time to schedule meetings or would prefer assistance in setting up meetings, please indicate that preference on the registration form above, and LeadingAge NY will be in touch with you. As an additional resource for individuals new to advocacy, we have developed this Legislative Scheduling Guide to assist members in setting up meetings. Members can easily find out who their lawmakers are, along with relevant contact information, by using our Find My Legislators tool.
What to Expect at 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 1, LeadingAge NY will provide nametags, tote bags, printed legislative meeting materials/handouts, meeting schedules for members to carry with them throughout the day, and more.
We will also provide breakfast and lunch in the meeting 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. 30th. These handouts will serve as member talking points and should be shared with legislative offices during and after meetings.
Finally, to ensure that members are familiar with what is in the SFY 2026-27 Executive Budget Proposal and all details of our 2026 Advocacy Day, LeadingAge NY will be hosting a Budget and Advocacy Day Prep Call on Fri., Jan. 30th at 11 a.m. All Advocacy Day registrants will receive a meeting link to join this call.
_____
We hope that you will join us in our 2026 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 to stabilize the state’s long-term care system.
Thank you in advance for your participation in advocacy during this critical time.
Contact: Sarah Daly, sdaly@leadingageny.org