Legislative Bulletin: Countdown to 2026 Advocacy Day in Albany!
January 23, 2026
LeadingAge NY Provides Preliminary Analysis of Executive Budget Proposal
On Tuesday afternoon, Governor Kathy Hochul presented her State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2026-2027 Executive Budget Proposal, releasing the budget briefing book entitled “Your Family. Your Future. My Fight.” along with accompanying budget bills.
It is notable that the Executive Budget reflects LeadingAge NY’s significant advocacy efforts to convey the dire condition of our member nursing homes. It is a positive step that the Executive Budget includes additional investments in nursing homes and hospitals, including a restoration of the 10 percent capital cut to nursing homes. However, we don’t yet know the extent of these additional investments and will work to learn more in the days to come.
In addition, the Executive Budget Proposal unfortunately eliminates EQUAL and the Enriched Housing subsidy for ACFs, and fails to include funding for the development of our Resident Assistant proposal in affordable senior housing.
In the hours following the budget release, LeadingAge New York provided a high-level summary of the proposals most relevant for LeadingAge NY Members as we understand them so far. That preliminary summary is available on our website here. Our Comprehensive Executive Budget Memo covering all service lines and aspects of the proposal relevant for members will be available no later than Jan. 28th.
In light of the Executive Budget release, and the mix of positive proposals and some negative, it is critical that we have as many members as possible – from all service lines – join us for our Advocacy Day on Feb. 3rd! We will need your help to protect proposed investments and urge legislators to prioritize long-term care with additional funding. Please take a look at the information below and consider joining us for an impactful day of advocacy with state legislators in Albany!
Last Call to Register! Countdown to 2026 Advocacy Day
With the New York State Legislature back in session, and the release of the 2026-27 Executive Budget Proposal, it is critical that we have as many members as possible join us in Albany for our 2026 Advocacy Day on Feb. 3rd – and there is still time to register! During our advocacy day in Albany, we will be urging State legislators to support and appropriately fund the entire continuum of long-term care/aging services providers; including nursing homes, assisted living/adult care facilities, home care agencies, senior housing, adult day health care, managed long-term care and more!
Please join us for our LeadingAge NY Advocacy Day to lend your voice to these issues!
When: Feb. 3, 2026
Where: The 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.
- There is still time to register to join us! If you register between now and Jan. 29th, we will add you to meetings with legislators from your part of the state!
- If you have scheduled your own meetings, please be sure to share your meeting schedule and details 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.
During our Advocacy Day, LeadingAge NY will:
- Provide breakfast & lunch;
- join you in your legislative meetings;
- provide legislative materials and “handouts” for legislators – available Jan. 30th;
- assist in any necessary follow-up from meetings;
- provide a meeting room, directions, parking information, logistical support and more!
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 have received a calendar invitation with a link to join the call. For those who cannot join live, a member-only recording of the call will be posted on the Advocacy Day website once available.
More information on our Advocacy Day plans can be found here. Please reach out to Sarah Daly (sdaly@leadingageny.org) with any questions.
ACTION ALERT: Amplify Social Media Messages, Calling for LTC Funding!
Earlier this month, LeadingAge New York CEO, Sebrina Barrett, and the President and CEO of Community Wellness Partners, Jeremy Rutter, were featured in a 30-minute segment with the Capitol Pressroom’s David Lombardo. The broadcast, titled “Long-term care facilities struggle to stay open in New York”, shed light on the challenges facing LTC providers and related impacts on the older adults and individuals who depend on these services.
Now, LeadingAge New York is using social media to keep this reality front-of-mind for state policymakers. Please join us in amplifying our unified message on social media!
TODAY, please take a moment to LIKE & SHARE the below social media content:
Please share this social media video on at least one platform, or more.
Social Media Links:
- Facebook – Please LIKE & SHARE ( Gov. Tag @Governor Kathy Hochul)
- Twitter/X – Please LIKE & SHARE ( Gov. Tag @GovKathyHochul)
- Instagram - Please LIKE & SHARE ( Gov. Tag @govkathyhochul)
- LinkedIn – Please LIKE & SHARE
Additional Reminders:
- It is highly recommended to TAG the Governor on Facebook and other platforms when you share it, so she sees our message.
- If you are sharing on your personal profiles, we encourage you to make the post “public”.
- You could also tag the social media accounts of your State legislators when you share. When you tag the governor and legislators, be sure that the tag lights up in blue so that the elected officials will see your message.
Thank you for joining us in advocacy as we rapidly approach the release of the Executive Budget Proposal next week!
Save the Date for LeadingAge National Lobby Day in D.C.
LeadingAge NY members are strongly encouraged to save the date for LeadingAge National’s 2026 Leadership Summit and Lobby Day! The Summit will take place in Washington D.C. from April 20-22nd and will convene thought leaders from across aging services and across the country for mission-critical conversations. The event provides valuable networking and educational opportunities, bringing together providers, businesses, and policy experts for three days of keynotes, education sessions, VIP discussions, and meetings with members of Congress.
The final day of the summit, April 22nd, will offer attendees the chance to influence national decision-makers through a coordinated lobbying effort on Capitol Hill. During the National Lobby Day, LeadingAge members will meet face-to-face with members of Congress to advocate for federal funding and policies that support long-term care and aging services.
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 expertise and experience from the field is our strongest asset in advocacy. Members of LeadingAge New York’s policy staff will be attending the summit and lobby day, attending all lobby day meetings alongside NY member advocates. 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