Legislative Bulletin: 2024 Session Concludes, Lawmakers Shift Focus to Elections
June 14, 2024
While this is the last Legislative Bulletin of the year, LeadingAge New York will provide periodic advocacy updates in our Tuesday Intelligence publication. Additionally, members can stay engaged on all of the latest regarding 2024 State Elections and coordinated press efforts via our Public Affairs Council, which meets once a month.
2024 Legislative Session Concludes: Takeaways & Next Steps
The New York State Legislature concluded their 2024 legislative work around 7 a.m. on Sat., June 8th, with the Assembly adjourning at the call of the Speaker. The Senate completed their work earlier, on Fri., June 7th.
While the close of session displayed the typical rapid debate and passage of bills, this year, the final few days were uniquely dominated by Governor Hochul’s decision to delay the implementation of the NYC congestion pricing law. This decision was not only controversial from a policy perspective, but it also created a $1 billion annual deficit in the budget of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), severely inhibiting the MTA's capital plan and ability to obtain bonds and other forms of debt for future projects. The Governor and legislative leaders were unable to reach an agreement on replacement revenue, and, as a result, the Legislature may return to Albany for a "special session" later this year to address the MTA's budget shortfall.
With the New York State Primary Elections scheduled for June 25th and the subsequent General Election set for Nov. 5th, it is unlikely that the Legislature will return to Albany to address the new budget shortfall until after the election cycle. However, legislative leaders have the ability to call the Legislature back at any time to take up urgent legislative matters. Stakeholders will be watching carefully for any announcement of an early return, and LeadingAge NY will keep members informed accordingly.
LeadingAge NY is digesting all of this year’s legislative activities and bill movements and will provide a comprehensive Legislative Bill Summary to members next week. The summary will review the bills passed by both houses and over one hundred other priority bills that we tracked and advocated for or against during the 2024 legislative session.
As the year’s legislative work draws to a close, we extend our heartfelt thanks to all our members for your dedicated participation in advocacy this year! Since November, our network of advocates sent over 25,000 letters to lawmakers, placed hundreds of phone calls to legislative offices, and held hundreds of meetings with legislators and policy makers. Your advocacy spanned budget, regulatory and legislative issues. We are truly amazed by your engagement in advocacy on top of all you do for the individuals in your care.
Thank you for your dedication and hard work throughout this year’s budget and legislative session. We wish our members a restful and joyful summer!
Lawmakers Turn Attention to 2024 Elections, Posing New Advocacy Opportunities
As we celebrate the end of this year’s legislative session, it is worth noting that the remainder of 2024 will undoubtedly remain politically charged. Not only is it a United States Presidential Election year, but over the next several weeks and months state legislators will be focusing their attention on their own primaries and November general elections.
Every two years, all State Senators and Assembly Members must either seek re-election or decide to retire from their seat. Some legislators opt to run for a new position in office, perhaps in congress or another level of government, others may simply seek alternative employment. Meanwhile, some legislators have maintained their seats for decades and are thus, very likely to return to Albany in 2025. Regardless of the precise dynamics occurring in your legislative districts, it being an election year offers members the opportunity to engage with lawmakers in a unique and highly impactful way – as a voting constituent!
Over the next few months, LeadingAge NY members are strongly encouraged to engage in the political process & develop relationships with candidates seeking election or re-election to the New York State Legislature.
Lawmakers care about what their constituents care about, particularly during an election year! Take some time to connect this summer with your area’s State Assembly Members and Senators running for re-election. Further, take a look to see if you have an “open seat” district – meaning that there is no incumbent running and that you will have a new representative in Albany next year. Members may learn more about their upcoming 2024 elections via Vote411.org, or clicking around on Ballotpedia. To find your current legislators’ information and district numbers, click here.
Members should maintain contact with candidates and incumbents by inviting them to visit your organization for a tour or community-oriented event, personally attending a campaign event of your choosing, or simply keeping offices well-informed of your organization’s challenges and successes impacting the district. For inspiration and insights on potential ways to engage in the political process over the summer and fall, members are encouraged to join our conversations on the Public Affairs Council, which meets once a month.
Election season is an excellent opportunity for prospective lawmakers to see firsthand the incredible care and services that not-for-profit and publicly run long-term care organizations provide. This education and experience is critical to fostering more aging services allies within the State’s legislative body. Take advantage of this opportunity by using your voice and vote to represent your organization and the people in your care.
For assistance in discerning who is running for election or re-election in your district, or for insights and support in organizing a legislative event in your district, please feel free to reach out to Sarah Daly at sdaly@leadingageny.org.
End of Session Bill Round-Up – Comprehensive Bill Summary Coming Soon!
During the final days of session, LeadingAge NY advocated fiercely for several proactive policies such as the passage of Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) revitalization legislation, nursing home and assisted living rebasing legislation, a bill to streamline the medical evaluation process in assisted living programs, and others. LeadingAge NY advocates also had to defend against new costly and burdensome requirements that would have detracted from resident care and long-term care (LTC) workforce initiatives.
In the end, a total of 805 bills were passed by both houses of the Legislature and will now await action by the Governor over the next several months. Approximately 29 of these are deemed to be of priority, meaningful relevance, to the LeadingAge NY membership.
Next week, LeadingAge NY will publish a comprehensive 2024 Legislative Bill Summary, reviewing all priority legislation that passed both houses as well as those that did not ultimately advance. In the meantime, members may find a brief overview of end-of-session priority bill status, below:
The following priority bills were passed both houses:
- Changes to Public Health Law (PHL) Section 2805-X – Memo of Support
- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)-Nursing Home Transition and Diversion (NHTD) Carve-Out of Managed Care – Memo of Support
- Medicaid Reimbursement for Treatment in Place – Support
- New Nursing Home Survey Posting Requirements – Memo of Opposition
- Nursing Home Closure Requirements – Memo of Opposition
- Nursing Home Temporary Operator – Memo of Opposition
- Publication of Health Electronic Response Data System (HERDS) Data – Memo of Concern
- Quality Improvement in Assisted Living Residences – Concerns
- Wrongful Death – Memo of Opposition
- Enhancement of NYS Office for the Aging (NYSOFA) Oversight of Social Adult Day Care Programs – Tracking
- Payments for Care of Medically Fragile Young Adults – Memo of Support
The following bills were passed by one house and WILL NOT advance to the Governor:
- CCRC Revitalization – Memo of Support
- Passed Senate; Assembly Rules Committee
- Assisted Living Program (ALP) Medical Evaluations – Memo of Support
- Passed Assembly; Senate Health Committee
- Office of the Medicaid Inspector General (OMIG) Audit and Review – Memo of Support
- Passed Senate; Assembly Ways and Means Committee
- Prohibition on Establishment of For-Profit Hospice – Memo of Support
- Passed Senate; Assembly Calendar, Laid Aside
- Increase in Adult Care Facility (ACF) State Supplement Program (SSP) – Memo of Support
- Passed Senate; Assembly Social Services Committee
- Changes to Character and Competence – Memo of Opposition
- Passed Senate; Assembly Calendar, Laid Aside
The following bills did not pass either house:
- Restrictions on Psychotropic Medications in Nursing Homes and ACFs – Memo of Concern
- Designated Storage for Decedent Remains – Memo of Opposition
- Increase in Nursing Home and LTC Provider Penalties – Memo of Opposition
- Increase in Penalties for ACFs – Memo of Opposition
- Training for Patient Transporters – Memo of Opposition
- Nursing Home Rebasing – Memo of Support
- ALP Rebasing – Memo of Support
- Certified Medication Aides – Memo of Support
- Role of the Nurse in ACFs – Memo of Support
- Certified Home Health Agency (CHHA) Payments – Memo of Support
LeadingAge New York’s advocacy on priority bills will continue as bills that were passed by both houses get delivered to the Governor for action. Additionally, we will continue to communicate with and educate legislators about sector challenges, opportunities for reform, workforce/staffing standards and more.
We thank our members for your advocacy on these important legislative issues!
LAST CHANCE: Apply for IGNITE Leadership Academy!
LeadingAge NY was pleased to extend the application deadline for our 2024-25 IGNITE Leadership Academy, however the deadline is upon us! All applications should be submitted by TODAY, June 14th. For more information about the program, click here. Anyone with questions about IGNITE can contact Nancy Caban at ncaban@leadingageny.org or Diane Darbyshire at ddarbyshire@leadingageny.org. Both can be reached at 518-867-8383.
IGNITE is a year-long professional development program designed to facilitate the development and growth of senior living leaders in the state. The experience provides participants with the tools they will need to be outstanding leaders in their organizations. It differs from an MBA-type program in that its focus is on teaching participants how their own thinking and values are key components to developing their own qualities of leadership. In addition, they acquire the tools to help them work with teams, build successful teams, and collaborate. Only employees of LeadingAge NY provider member organizations may apply for the program.
Contact: Sarah Daly; 518.867.8845; sdaly@leadingageny.org