Legislative Bulletin: State Budget Negotiations Continue Into Spring Holiday Recess
April 3, 2026
SFY 2026-27 Budget Deadline Extended until April 7
The State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2026-27 budget has been delayed past its April 1st deadline. On Tuesday, March 31st, the New York State Legislature passed a measure extending the current budget for one week, until April 7th. This bill ensures state funding continues as budget negotiations proceed.
This year’s budget delays stem from ongoing negotiations over several major policy issues, including reforms to the state’s auto insurance laws and proposed adjustments to the 2019 climate law. Discussions around taxes, school aid, and pension reform, particularly fixes to the state’s Tier 6 system, remain unresolved as the clock runs down.
With lawmakers scheduled to recess for the Easter and Passover holidays this week, the extender temporarily funds the state government while negotiations stretch into April.
As budget talks proceed past their deadline, LeadingAge NY continues to actively engage with lawmakers and state officials. We will continue to keep members updated on state budget developments and advocacy opportunities. With budget work ongoing, we ask you to please continue to use your voice to keep the pressure on policymakers! Below, members will find several opportunities to engage in budget advocacy. Thank you in advance for continuing to use your voice and advocate with us.
LeadingAge New York in the News
LeadingAge New York continued its strong media presence this week, keeping the long-term care funding crisis front and center for lawmakers.
Members are strongly encouraged to share any of these news articles in your social media or advocacy work. Amplifying news stories on personal and professional social media platforms, tagging state legislators and sharing news articles directly with your legislative contacts can be a meaningful way to bring our message to the right audience.
Buffalo News: An article published last Sunday makes the argument for an even split of the $1.5 million set aside for nursing homes and hospitals in the 2026-27 SFY budget proposal. The authors detail the challenges faced by long term care providers in the Buffalo area and across the state, featuring testimony from local providers Schofield Residence, Brothers of Mercy, and Heritage Ministries. The closure of Heritage Village on March 20th along with three other regional nursing homes in recent years, is linked to the state’s chronically inadequate Medicaid reimbursement. Governor Hochul is quoted in support of “stabilized” financing for New York nursing homes, but does not provide a specific dollar commitment.
Like & share this article on social media!
NY1 Spectrum News: This article provides a breakdown of some of the issues stalling the passage of the SFY 2026-27 budget. Major sticking points include concerns about climate law deadlines, auto insurance, retail taxes and construction regulations. Katie Foley from Selfhelp Community Services advocates for funding the Resident Assistance program, highlighting its positive impact on resident health and independence, while also saving Medicaid funds over time.
Like & share this article on social media!
ICYMI: Long Island Business News, Member Op-Ed: Stuart Almer, CEO of Gurwin Healthcare System, placed a letter to the editor last week with Long Island Business News. The opinion piece points out that nursing homes in New York State are in crisis due to chronic, systemic underfunding that has pushed providers to a breaking point. On Long Island, nursing homes serve more than 60,000 individuals per year, with 95% of the admissions coming from hospitals, but inadequate Medicaid funding is putting this critical care at risk.
NEW ACTION ALERT: Call Assembly Members in Support of Resident Assistance!
LeadingAge NY has long advocated for New York State to fund and establish an Affordable Senior Housing Resident Assistance Program. This year, we have a chance to secure this funding in the final NYS Budget – but we need your help!
The Senate included the funding for Resident Assistance (RAs) in their one-house budget proposal. But now, we need to urge the Assembly and Governor to support this investment and include it in the final budget.
Please take a moment to call your Assembly Member on Monday, April 6, and urge them to support Resident Assistance in Affordable Senior Housing!
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- Find your State Assembly Member information here.
- Call the Albany Office and ask to speak with or leave a message for the Assembly Member.
- Talking Points:
- My name is ______, and I work at [ORGANIZATION]
- I’m calling to ask the Assemblymember to please support Resident Assistance for affordable senior housing in this year’s final state budget agreement.
- The $2 million investment necessary for this program is in the Senate One-House proposal, and I am asking that the Assembly endorse this investment and include it in the final budget.
- Through this modest investment, low-income older adults living in affordable senior housing would be provided on-site and on-request assistance with navigating aging services, such as help enrolling in essential benefits, connecting with preventive services, arranging for transportation assistance, and arranging for social and wellness programming in the building that help build community and prevent social isolation.
- Resident Assistance would make an immediate impact in affordable housing by improving quality of life and reducing reliance on Medicaid-funded healthcare and long-term care for the older adults who live there.
- Again, the Senate has included the $2 million investment, and language in the Education, Labor, and Family Assistance (ELFA) budget bill (Part R) to create the program, but we need the Assembly to vocalize their support to make it a reality.
- Please urge Assembly leadership – Speaker Carl Heastie, Housing Chair Linda Rosenthal, Aging Chair Rebecca Seawright and Health Chair Amy Paulin – to support the Senate’s investment in Affordable Senior Housing Resident Assistance in the final budget agreement, and consider signing on to bill number A.1948 (Rosenthal).
- Find your State Assembly Member information here.
After you place your phone calls, we strongly encourage you to send a letter to your legislators! It only takes a few clicks! In addition, senior housing members can share this Advocacy Flyer with residents, volunteers and other providers to help us advocate during this critical moment of the state budget process.
Lastly, if members would like to call additional Assembly offices in support of this program, members may consider calling Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, Housing Chair Linda Rosenthal, Aging Chair Rebecca Seawright and Health Chair Amy Paulin’s offices.
Please reach out to the LeadingAge NY Policy & Advocacy Team with any questions. Thank you for your advocacy!
ACTION ALERT: Bring Your Advocacy to Social Media for Final Days of Budget Fight!
At this stage of the state budget process, much of the decision-making is with Governor Hochul and the leadership of the Senate and Assembly. A key strategy to capture the attention of policymakers during this final stretch of state budget advocacy is to leverage the power of social media. Please join us in a social media campaign, urging the State to “Stop the Crisis and Fully Fund Long-Term Care!”
To participate in this social media campaign, please follow the simple steps outlined on our website here. LeadingAge New York members are strongly encouraged to include residents and families in advocacy, and post your photos along with our suggested captions on social media over the coming days and weeks. We encourage members to post on Facebook, LinkedIn, and any other social media platforms.
In addition to participating in the “Fully Fund LTC” social media campaign, LeadingAge NY members are strongly encouraged to like & share the recent news articles posted by LeadingAge New York:
- Secure $750 million for nursing homes:
- Support funding for Resident Assistance Program, featuring Selfhelp’s Katie Foley:
- Support Certified Medication Aides in Nursing Homes, featuring St. Ann’s Community:
Continue to Send Budget Letters and Engage Others in Advocacy
With New York State budget work now extended through April 7th, we have extra time to advocate for the inclusion of LeadingAge NY’s top priorities in the final SFY 2026-27 budget. It is crucial that we maintain the urgency and frequency of our message to ensure that these priorities do not fall off the negotiating table.
Please continue to push for the investments and restorations that long-term care providers need, and the funding that the people you serve deserve!
Please use the links below to send emails to elected officials! It only takes a few minutes.
- Resident Assistant in Affordable Senior Housing Budget Letter
- Adult Care Facility/Assisted Living Budget Letter
- Home and Community-Based Services Budget Letter
- Adult Day Health Care Budget Letter
- Nursing Home Budget Letters:
- Provider Leadership (Executives, Administrators, Directors, etc.)
- Board Members
- Staff
- Family Members
- Volunteers/Constituents
- Resident letter available upon request
After you send your letters, please share these links with colleagues, board members and volunteers. This is a simple and easy way to strengthen our unified message at this critical time.
In addition, nursing home members can share this Advocacy Flyer with family members to help expand our advocacy reach and remind legislators of the families and residents who are impacted by inadequate Medicaid funding. Affordable senior housing members can share this Advocacy Flyer with residents, volunteers and other providers to help advocate for the Senate one-house budget proposal which would fund and establish the Resident Assistance in Affordable Senior Housing.
Thank you for your budget advocacy and for staying engaged with us throughout this process!
ACTION ALERT: Tell Congress to Support Immigration Workforce Solutions
LeadingAge NY and LeadingAge National are fighting to maintain a strong workforce for aging services and long-term care. As our aging adult population grows ever larger, nearly 30% of the direct care professionals supporting them are foreign-born. Restrictive policies and an inefficient immigration system threaten to worsen the long-term care workforce shortage experienced by many of our members. LeadingAge New York members are strongly encouraged to contact your representatives and senators and urge them to support smart, targeted immigration policies which attract and retain immigrant healthcare talent.
Please click here to read more and contact Congress today! You can personalize your messages to Congress to let them know the positive impact foreign-born professionals have on your organization and industry.
Join us in D.C. for LeadingAge National Lobby Effort!
LeadingAge NY members are strongly encouraged to join us in Washington D.C. from April 20 – 22 for LeadingAge National’s 2026 Leadership Summit and Lobby Day!
The Summit convenes thought leaders from across the aging services sector for mission-critical conversations. The event provides valuable networking and educational opportunities, but most importantly, the final day of the summit (April 22) will offer attendees the chance to join 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 for older adults. Members of LeadingAge New York’s policy staff will be attending the summit and lobby day, joining NY member advocates in their congressional meetings and helping to navigate your way around Capitol Hill. This is an important opportunity to bring member advocacy directly to the halls of power in the Nation’s capital. Click here to register for the Leadership Summit and/or Lobby Day!
In addition, mark your calendar for a special National Policy Pulse Call. Join LeadingAge’s national policy team on Monday, April 6, for a National Policy Pulse call focused on the 2026 outlook for federal aging services policy and our assessment of how aging services providers will fare under President Donald Trump’s fiscal year 2027 budget request to Congress. Finally, we’ll also discuss LeadingAge’s priorities for Lobby Day, April 22, when hundreds of providers will visit House and Senate offices. LeadingAge members can sign up for the calls using the link on our National Policy Pulse webpage.
SFY 2026-27 State Budget Advocacy Resources from LeadingAge New York
- Comprehensive Executive Budget Summary
- Budget Issue Briefs
- Digital Advocacy Letters
- Social Media Advocacy Campaign
- Summary of One-House Budget Proposals
Contact: Sarah Daly; 518.867.8845; sdaly@leadingageny.org