Legislative Bulletin: New York State Budget Work Continues
April 5, 2024
NYS Budget Work Continues: Lawmakers Extend Negotiations to April 8th
Last week, Governor Hochul proposed and approved a budget extender to provide government funding until April 4th, due to the Easter Holiday and budget delays. On Thursday, lawmakers approved a second budget extender which will stretch the budget process until Monday. However, it is projected that the budget will still not be finalized by then, which means legislators will need to return to Albany on Sunday or Monday to approve a third extension to fund the State government. The third extender is expected to allow budget work to continue to April 15th.
The unique spectacle of a total solar eclipse on Monday, visible from parts of upstate New York, has led some Assemblymembers to suggest that a Monday session should be postponed in order to witness the event. There is talk of the Assembly passing the budget extender on Sunday and coming back to Albany on Tuesday, after the Eclipse. However, the Senate has indicated that they will pass the extender on Monday, regardless of the eclipse event. Governor Hochul remains optimistic about nearing a budget agreement, even though disagreements surrounding housing and education funding still exist.
Lawmakers are still uncertain where budget issues such as health, housing and education will land. Governor Hochul has hinted that some housing proposals that were rejected last year, have now resurfaced. On education, Hochul emphasized the importance of updating funding formulas to reflect current demographics and needs, but it is unclear what will be accomplished in the budget. Health discussions among leadership appear to be ongoing, though not much is being publicly discussed. Nevertheless, lawmakers are dedicated to addressing the concerns of New Yorkers and say they will finalize the budget as soon as possible.
LeadingAge New York will continue to keep members apprised of state budget developments and advocacy action needed. With budget work expected to pick up the pace next week, it is certain that we will need you to help us keep the pressure on legislators and the governor! Stay tuned for more next week.
Keep Up the Pressure! Send Budget Advocacy Letters TODAY!
As New York State Budget negotiations extend well into April, we need to maintain our advocacy momentum and keep the funding needs of long-term care and aging services providers top-of-mind. We have spoken with several legislative offices this week, all of whom said that your advocacy is making a difference, but that we need to keep up the pressure and keep making noise!
Please send a message to your legislators and the governor TODAY!
- Nursing Home Budget Letters – several letters available for family members, staff, residents, etc.
- Authorize Nursing Home Medication Aides
- Adult Care Facilities/Assisted Living Budget Letter
- Home & Community-Based Services Budget Letter
- Adult Day Health Care Budget Letter
Share Flyers with Your Network of Advocates!
To help drive traffic to these digital letters and expand our network of advocates, LeadingAge NY has created flyers that can be printed or shared electronically with your workforce, families, and community members. Flyers are linked below for member usage:
- Medication Aides in Nursing Homes Advocacy Flyer – NEW; please share with staff & board members
- Workforce Advocacy Flyer – please share with staff teams
- Family Advocacy Flyer – please share with families
- General Constituent Advocacy Flyer - please share with volunteers/community members
Use This Social Media Toolkit to Support Our Budget Priorities!
In response to the one-house budget proposals, LeadingAge New York launched a new set of social media messages aimed to highlight the need for LeadingAge NY top budget priorities! These messages have been crafted to target the governor and legislative leaders as they work toward a final budget agreement for SFY 2024-25.
The NEW social media messages, graphics, and instructions for how we recommend members use these tools are available here. The messages themselves are crafted so you can simply copy & paste into your Facebook and attach our recommended graphics/video. If used for Twitter/X, LinkedIn or Instagram, the only things that need to be updated will be the legislators’ social media ‘handles’ (@) – the names should light up in blue when legislators are effectively tagged in the post.
The pre-written social media messages are also crafted to resonate for an audience of family members, residents, consumers and the general public. They are versatile and can easily be re-purposed to enlist your social media following in budget advocacy.
With the use of social media advocacy, we have the power to influence state funding decisions and secure INVESTMENTS in LTC, rather than CUTS. Thank you for your advocacy as we near a final budget agreement!
Please reach out to Sarah Daly at sdaly@leadingageny.org with any questions about press, social media, and advocacy activities.
Countdown to LeadingAge National Leadership Summit and Lobby Day
LeadingAge NY members are strongly encouraged to join us in Washington D.C. from April 15th-17th for LeadingAge National’s 2024 Leadership Summit and Lobby Day! Leadership Summit attendees will have the opportunity to attend educational sessions and learn about proactive solutions to the challenges of today and the future. Then, attendees will have the chance to influence national decision-makers through a coordinated lobbying effort on Capitol Hill. During the national Lobby Day on April 17th, the final day of the summit, LeadingAge members will meet face-to-face with members of Congress and advocate for enhanced federal funding and policies supporting aging services for older adults and our workforce.
As the Federal government considers long-term care reimbursement and staffing standards, it is critical that members of Congress hear from New York stakeholders. Further, with NY Senator Chuck Schumer serving as the Senate Majority Leader, and NY Congressman Hakeem Jeffries serving as the Democratic Leader of the House, New York stakeholders have the power to help influence Democratic party positions and policies.
LeadingAge NY members are strongly encouraged to join our lobby effort on Capitol Hill so policy makers can hear your stories, challenges, and accomplishments! You do not need to be a lobbyist or policy expert to be an advocacy champion! Your on-the-ground expertise is our most valuable asset in advocacy. LeadingAge New York’s Sarah Daly and Annalyse Komoroske Denio will be attending the summit and lobby day, attending all lobby day meetings alongside NY member advocates. With scheduling logistics and informative materials provided by LeadingAge, members can focus their efforts on effective advocacy. Together, we can amplify our voice to raise awareness about the most critical issues impacting aging services providers, our employees, and the older adults and families we serve. Click here to register for the Leadership Summit and Lobby Day!
Contact: Sarah Daly; 518.867.8845; sdaly@leadingageny.org