Legislative Bulletin: Governor Cuomo Delivers 2021 State of the State
January 15, 2021
Governor Cuomo Delivers 2021 State of the State
Over the course of this week, Governor Cuomo announced his State of the Sate plans with four separate addresses. In his first address on Monday, the Governor provided an overview of his 2021 Agenda: Reimagine, Rebuild, Renew. In his subsequent addresses, Governor Cuomo provided details on his plans to ensure access and affordability of high-speed internet to low-income families, invest in green energy and a push to revamp the State’s infrastructure.
Although the Governor did not specifically address long term care and aging services in his address, he did mention the need for improvements to telehealth, the conversion of vacant commercial space into affordable housing and a Medical Supplies Act which would increase domestic, and in-state, manufacturing of personal protective equipment (PPE) and medical supplies. In the fight against COVID, the Governor also emphasized a push to open more rapid testing sites.
After a week of announcements, it is clear that the overarching focus of the Governor’s plans will be combatting COVID-19 and the rebuilding of New York’s economy. While some of the details of the Governor’s initiatives are laid out in his press releases, lawmakers and advocates are anxiously awaiting the release of the 2021 Executive Budget Proposal on Tuesday, Jan. 19th.
As we have previously reported, the Governor has a massive budget deficit to account for in his proposal. While the Governor confirmed this morning that the State can expect substantial Federal Relief from the Biden Administration, the exact amounts and how that will impact the state budget remains to be seen. Once the Executive Budget and other materials become available next week, LeadingAge NY will be reviewing the proposals closely and will analyze and report on the proposed legislation impacting our member providers and plans.
Register Now: 2021 Government and Virtual Advocacy Webinar
The importance of making the most of virtual advocacy during this legislative session cannot be overstated. The State faces a $60.1 billion, four-year deficit and the Governor has already indicated that Federal Relief, even under the best circumstances, will not be enough to balance the budget. Long-term care has dealt with unprecedented challenges over the last 11 months, and it is critical that we educate both old and new lawmakers on the importance of aging services in their communities.
LeadingAge NY strongly encourages members to join us for our 2021 Government and Virtual Advocacy Webinar scheduled for Fri., Jan. 22nd at 10:30 a.m. The hour-long presentation and Q&A will provide members with an update on where we are in the State Budget process, what Federal Relief we might expect from the Biden Administration and what we anticipate over the coming months. We will also be discussing our 2021 advocacy strategy and how members can best connect with their lawmakers during this unprecedented time. Click here to register for this informative webinar!
While this year will be uniquely challenging in many ways, there are also unique opportunities. Thank you in advance for your participation in advocacy!
LeadingAge NY Hosts LTC and COVID-19 Info Session for Lawmakers
Virtual events are quickly becoming the “new normal” in advocacy. This week, LeadingAge NY took advantage of the trend by hosting two Long-Term Care and COVID-19 Information Sessions for the NY State Senate and the Assembly. Over 50 legislators and legislative staff joined the sessions to hear from LeadingAge NY about the financial situation of non-profit long-term and post-acute care providers. The webinar painted a picture for lawmakers, explaining the financial position providers were in prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, and where we are now as we begin the 2021 budget cycle. We explained the additional costs incurred due to the pandemic and the extensive cuts and underfunding the industry has endured for the last several years.
The webinars were well received by lawmakers and served as a great introduction to long-term care for new legislators. Over the coming weeks, LeadingAge NY will expand on the relationships ignited by the presentation and continue this dialogue throughout the budget and legislative cycle.
Begin Scheduling Your Meetings for 2021 Advocacy Days!
While our Advocacy Days will look different this year, LeadingAge NY strongly encourages members to begin scheduling meetings with their lawmakers for our 2021 Advocacy Days, set for Feb. 4th, 5th, 11th, and 12th.
This year, Advocacy Days will not require a trip to the State’s capital. Instead, Advocacy Days will entail virtual meetings with lawmakers via Zoom. Your participation may only require an hour or two of your time and you will be able to join legislative meetings from the comfort of your own workspace! LeadingAge NY will be scheduling a handful of meetings on each of the days. However, we strongly encourage members to set up phone calls or Zoom meetings of their own, particularly if their lawmakers sit on the Health, Aging, Housing, or Finance Committees. Senate Committee appointments can be found here and Assembly Committee appointments can be found here. You can also find out who your lawmakers are, and which committees they sit on, by entering your information here.
Once you have your meetings scheduled, please send the details to Sarah Daly at Sdaly@leadingageny.org so that we can track our joint efforts. Additionally, please contact Sarah if you would like LeadingAge NY to assist in setting up a Zoom meeting with a legislator using our LeadingAge NY account. We are happy to assist.
Please note that there are now 41 new members of the State Legislature and it is possible that your representation has changed. If that is the case, it is more important than ever to ensure that your new Assembly Member or Senator understands the issues impacting your organization.
Thank you in advance for your participation in advocacy during this critical time.
President-Elect Biden Announces Plan for COVID Relief
As planned, President-Elect Biden released his $1.9 Trillion “American Rescue Plan: Emergency Legislative Package to Fund Vaccinations, Provide Immediate, Direct Relief to Families Bearing the Brunt of the COVID-19 Crisis, and Support Struggling Communities.” While there aren’t a lot of details yet, the plan includes a national vaccination program with greater coordination with states and localities; community vaccination centers and mobile vaccination units; expanded public health workforce; expanding Medicaid FMAP for vaccinating all Medicaid recipients. The plan extends the national eviction moratorium until September 30 and provides a new $30 billion for emergency rental assistance, $5 billion for utility assistance, and $5 billion for housing assistance for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. In addition, funds for small businesses, funds for safely reopening schools; extended federal unemployment insurance; the expected $1400 direct payments per person; and more. For congregate health settings, the proposal includes funding for strike teams and increased infection control.
In New York, Governor Cuomo is seeking $15 billion in direct aid. Without help from a COVID stimulus measure, Cuomo has warned that deep cuts in spending, tax increases and borrowing will be necessary to balance the budget.
LeadingAge & LeadingAge NY Coronavirus Resources
LeadingAge NY continues to closely follow all COVID-19 news and we are doing our best to keep members informed of updates, recommendations and guidelines from the Department of Health (DOH).
LeadingAge NY and LeadingAge National Member resources are linked below.
LeadingAge NY Coronavirus Resources
LeadingAge NY COVID-19 Weekly Update calls – Mondays at 11 a.m. Click here to join the call from your computer, android or apple device. Or you can join the call by dialing in: 877 853 5257 (Toll Free); Webinar ID: 852 964 255.
*PLEASE NOTE that next week’s LeadingAge NY COVID-19 Update Call will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 19th at 11 AM due to Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. The above listed info to join remains the same.
LeadingAge National Coronavirus Resources Page
LeadingAge National Pandemic Playbook
COVID-19 Group in the MyLeadingAge Member Community
Coronavirus Daily Member Update calls – Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:30-4:30 p.m. Past call recordings are available here and you can register here for future calls.
*PLEASE NOTE that LeadingAge National COVID Member Update Calls will be cancelled next Monday and Wednesday due to Martin Luther King, Jr Day and Inauguration Day. Instead, a Member Update Call will be held on Thursday, Jan. 21st.
Contact: Ami Schnauber; 518.867.8854; aschnauber@leadingageny.org
Sarah Daly; 518.867.8845; sdaly@leadingageny.org