Legislative Bulletin: Last Chance to Advocate on Priority Legislation!

June 6, 2025

Countdown to End of 2025 Legislative Session – Last Chance to Advocate on Bills!

There are four session days remaining of the 2025 New York State Legislative Session. The last day of session is scheduled for Thursday, June 12^th. While the number of days remaining are few, there are a large number of bills that LeadingAge New York is advocating on - and we need members to lend their voices to our efforts!

Below are digital advocacy campaigns for many of LeadingAge New York’s top legislative priorities. We are working diligently behind the scenes, sharing memos and communicating with offices, urging for the support and opposition of all priority bills. However, we need member advocacy to ensure that your individual legislators know that these are constituent issues as well.

Please use the links below to email your legislators on priority bills today! Each link will bring you to a webpage where you can learn about the issue and enter your information to send an email to legislators and the governor. All of the below action items – especially for the bills we oppose – are relevant and important to send right now. Please use these easy email links today!

Oppose

Please Protect Resident Privacy – Oppose Electronic Monitoring Legislation (more information below)
Oppose ACF Violations Bill & Request Additional Amendments
Oppose an Increase in LTC Provider Penalties (more information below)
Oppose New Unfunded Mandates on Nursing Homes! (more information below)
Oppose Requiring Written Consent for Antipsychotics

Support

Thank you in advance for sticking with us for the remainder of the 2025 Legislative Session! We will keep you apprised of the latest legislative developments and advocacy action items via these Friday Legislative Bulletins and other more urgent alerts as needed.

ACTION ALERT: Protect Resident Privacy & Oppose Electronic Monitoring Legislation

A bill that LeadingAge New York opposes is threatening to pass during the final days of legislative session. Bill A.1967-B (Paulin)/S.7190 (Scarcella-Spanton) would give residents of nursing homes and assisted living residences the right to install electronic monitoring devices – like video cameras and/or listening devices – in their rooms. While well-intentioned, this bill raises serious concerns about privacy, dignity, and autonomy of the resident and/or their roommate. It is important to recognize that the interests of family members and residents are not always aligned. Further, the interests of roommates must also be safeguarded and may not be aligned with the interests of the resident who chooses electronic monitoring.

The bill is overly simplistic in its approach to the complex issues raised by electronic monitoring, overlooking many of the legal, ethical, and operational challenges that are addressed in other states’ laws. LeadingAge NY memo of opposition is available here.

Take Action Now: Click here to send an email to legislators opposing A.1967-B/S.7190! Demand a more thoughtful solution that protects resident privacy, dignity, and safety.

The bill is currently “laid-aside” on the Assembly floor and we are hearing the Senate may also be interested in moving the bill in the final days of session. In addition to sending the above digital advocacy letter, members are encouraged to CALL your Assembly Member and Senator to express your concerns:

Phone Call Talking Points:

I am calling you today to oppose A.1967-B/S.7190, a bill that would create the right to electronic monitoring in nursing homes and assisted living.
Share name and organization

I understand the intent of this bill, families want peace of mind. But the proposal raises serious concerns about resident privacy, dignity, and autonomy that aren’t addressed in the bill language.
While the bill makes mention of resident and roommate consent, there is no clear process in the bill for who would be responsible for obtaining and documenting such consent; nor is there a process for determining resident and roommate capacity to consent.
The bill leaves big questions unanswered, like:
- Can monitoring occur in private bathrooms?
- What if any video or audio recordings are hacked or misused?
- Who’s responsible for removing devices if the resident vacates the room?
- What happens when roommates don’t agree to be recorded? Who continues to ensure that they are left out of any resident monitoring?
Nursing homes are obligated to protect the safety, privacy and dignity of our residents. While we understand that some families may desire electronic monitoring, it is critical to first prioritize the desires and rights of residents themselves.
Approving this bill without proper guardrails creates confusion, legal risk, and conflict between residents, families, and staff.
We care deeply about our residents. Their rooms are their homes - not places for 24/7 surveillance.
I urge you to oppose A.1967-B/S.7190 and instead support more thoughtful, resident-centered approaches that balance safety with privacy and dignity.

Thank you for taking action today! Let us know of any feedback you receive.

ACTION ALERT: Oppose an Increase in LTC Provider Penalties

A bill that LeadingAge New York strongly opposes is still sitting on the Assembly & Senate floor calendars: A.1118 (Paulin)/S.5744 (Cleare) would raise the maximum penalties for violations of the Public Health Law (PHL). These enhanced penalties would apply to any individual or organization that violates the Public Health Law. Penalties for violations by nursing homes, adult care facilities, and hospitals would be even higher than those imposed on other providers. Under current law, fines range from a maximum of $2,000 for first-time or no-harm violations to a maximum of $10,000 for violations that cause physical harm, regardless of provider type.

The bill would raise fines to a maximum of $5,000 for first-time, no-harm violations by nursing homes, hospitals, and ACFs and $3,000 for violations by other providers. For violations that cause serious physical harm, the maximum fine would increase to $20,000.

This legislation could be called up for debate or a vote on either house floor, on any upcoming state legislative session day. We must advocate against this bill NOW if we want to stop it from advancing further.

Take Action Now: Click here to email your legislators urging them to reject an increase in penalties for nursing homes, adult care facilities, home care, hospice and other LTC providers!

In addition, members are encouraged to call State Assembly Members and Senators offices to vocalize your opposition and explain why your organization cannot endure more hefty penalties amidst inadequate and outdated reimbursement.

For nursing homes, remind offices that there is a $1.6 billion Medicaid funding gap for NY nursing home care, and that this year’s final state budget failed to restore any recent cuts to capital reimbursement and only provides $160 M (approx. 2%) in new Medicaid investment ($285M is continued funding from SFY 2025).
All provider types should remind offices of the growing demand for long-term/post-acute care or personal care options for older adults.
- Remind them of the workforce, financial, or operational challenges your organization already faces as you work to offer high-quality services to a growing number of older New Yorkers.
- Describe any consumer-focused stories that you are already witnessing as you work to provide care.
Finally, remind them that enhancing penalties before enhancing payments for care is an ill-advised approach to ensuring access to quality services.

Members may use the above digital letter content and our memo of opposition to further inform any conversations with legislators. Please let us know if you receive any feedback or questions from offices.

ACTION ALERT: Oppose New Nursing Home Requirement for Designated Storage Facilities

Another bill which LeadingAge NY strongly opposes was “Ordered Direct to Third Reading” this week and was placed on the Senate Floor Calendar. The bill has already been approved by the Assembly and threatens to pass in the Senate in the final days of session.

The legislation, A.1365-A (Paulin)/S.15-A (Skoufis), would require nursing homes to develop and submit to the Department of Health (DOH) a plan for a designated location for the storage of bodies of deceased persons who pass while living in a nursing home, in the event of a declared disaster emergency. While the bill has been amended to require a plan for emergency response, this legislation will ultimately impose new, costly requirements on most nursing home providers, many of which are already experiencing financial distress.

In preparation for future emergencies that could impact all New Yorkers, this bill would impose a new and costly responsibility on nursing homes alone, instead of placing the responsibility on state and municipal authorities. We must advocate NOW to oppose this new, unfunded mandate on nursing home providers!

Take Action Now: Click here to email your State Senators and the Governor against this legislation!

In addition, we strongly recommend you call your Senator’s Albany office to vocalize your opposition to this bill! You could also share our LeadingAge NY memo of opposition, available here. It is critical that any calls or emails are sent as soon as possible!

Call your State Senator with the below talking points on the decedent remains storage bill.

I am calling you today to oppose S.15-A, a bill that was just advanced to the Senate floor.
The bill would impose another unfunded and costly mandate on nursing homes that are already struggling to stay afloat, and I urge you to oppose the bill.
I am with XXX organization, serving the XXX region of New York.
Inadequate Medicaid funding is already making it difficult for nonprofit and public nursing homes like mine to find staff and continue to operate.
This bill would require us to divert our limited resources to create or modify space or contract with mobile storage units to facilitate the storage of the remains of individuals who pass away while living in a nursing home.
A viable plan, such as those required by the bill, will require ongoing costs for our home – regardless of state emergency status – and will divert funding away from staffing efforts and the quality care we aim to provide to our residents.
We agree that deceased residents deserve to be treated with the utmost respect, and under current and ordinary circumstances, this is accomplished without dedicated storage units.
The responsibility of managing decedent remains during emergencies is not unique to nursing homes, but this bill places the burden – and the costs associated – on only us.
This bill’s goal and the costs associated should be borne by state and municipal authorities, who are better positioned to respond to emergencies.
The burden of this legislation should not be placed on nursing homes and our residents.
I urge you to oppose this bill, S.15-A.

LeadingAge NY Win! CCRC Legislation Passes State Senate

Good News! A bill that LeadingAge NY champions and strongly supports was passed in the New York State Senate on Wed., June 4.

The bill, A.1464-A (Paulin)/S.4585 (Cleare), would modify Articles 46 and 46-A of the Public Health Law in a way that would eliminate various barriers to the development, expansion, and efficient operation of Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs) in New York State while preserving vitally important resident protections. It would consolidate authority for the approval and operation of CCRCs into the Department of Health (DOH). LeadingAge NY full memo of support is available here.

Today, the bill advanced out of Assembly Ways and Means and was referred to Assembly Rules Committee. The bill is in a good position for potential passage in these final days of session, but we need member advocacy to help us get it over the finish line!

Please click here to email legislators in support of CCRC revitalization legislation!

Latest from LeadingAge National on Federal Budget Reconciliation

As the Federal Budget Reconciliation process continues to unfold, LeadingAge National is issuing consistent updates and resources for effective member awareness and advocacy. This week, LeadingAge shared the following new resources and analysis on H.R.1: One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB).

General Medicaid Talking Points and Asks: H.R. 1 Medicaid Talking Points
Medicaid Retroactive Eligibility: Talking Points: H.R. 1 Medicaid Retroactive Eligibility
Affordable Housing: Talking Points: H.R. 1 Affordable Housing
Tax Policy: Talking Points: H.R. 1 Tax Provisions
Artificial Intelligence: Talking Points: H.R. 1 Artificial Intelligence
Summaries of what is in the legislation and other updates can be tracked in this budget reconciliation serial post.

LeadingAge is urging a “no” vote on OBBB in the Senate. To help members understand why and help support discussions with Members of Congress, they released the above suite of new materials and talking points about the impacts of OBBB on June 5. Contained in these talking points are also specific asks for changes — the approach is to both oppose the bill but also try to mitigate the impacts on older adults and those who serve them.

In addition, LeadingAge National discussed H.R. 1 in depth on this Monday’s Policy Pulse call. A recording of that call is available for members only here (noted as June 6 recording).

Contact: Sarah Daly; 518.867.8845; sdaly@leadingageny.org