Legislative Bulletin: New Year, New Advocacy Strategy
January 8, 2021
Register Now: 2021 Government and Virtual Advocacy Webinar
As we prepare for advocacy in the new year, it is critical that we consider the unprecedented environment we find ourselves in. New York State’s most recent State financial plan projects a $60.1 billion, four-year deficit. The State has been holding out for federal relief since the summer months and has yet to get any clear indication of what we can expect. Enter the Biden Administration on Jan. 20th. With the new administration, it is possible that New York will be better positioned for federal relief. However, it is very unlikely that the amount New York receives will be enough to cover the significant losses incurred by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The State Budget process for Fiscal Year (FY) 2021-2022 will be more fluid and unpredictable than ever. Meanwhile, we have several brand-new members of the State Legislature, and advocates are relying solely on virtual platforms, letter writing, and phone calls to connect with lawmakers. Fortunately, virtual advocacy poses some advantages.
LeadingAge NY will be hosting a 2021 Government and Virtual Advocacy Webinar for members on Fri., Jan. 22nd at 10:30 a.m. The hour-long presentation and Q&A will provide members with an update on where we are in the State Budget process and what we can expect in the coming months. We will also be discussing our 2021 advocacy strategy and how members can best connect with their lawmakers during this unprecedented time. Click here to register for this informative webinar!
While this year will be uniquely challenging in many ways, there are also unique opportunities. Thank you in advance for your participation in advocacy!
Governor Cuomo’s 2021 State of the State Set for Next Week
During his COVID-19 briefing on Wednesday morning, Governor Cuomo announced that he would deliver his State of the State Address on Monday, January 11th. Due to the significant – and accumulating – state budget deficit, a key goal of the Governor’s budget proposal will likely be to increase revenue. Two revenue raising proposals expected to be included in the State of the State are the legalization of mobile sports betting and retail cannabis.
Both proposals will entail significant negotiations between the Governor and the Legislature, as changes to sports betting will have an impact on the state’s casinos and marijuana legalization has been attempted unsuccessfully for the last several years. However, given the extremity of the budget deficit, both proposals could garner more support in 2021 than in the past.
Additionally, this afternoon the Governor announced that much of his proposal will be focused on specific, post-COVID initiatives. He plans to propose legislation on the processing of absentee ballots, extending voting hours and to create an Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence. Of course, we will know much more about the Governor’s proposals following his address next week. Stay tuned.
Save the Date for 2021 Advocacy Days!
while our Advocacy Days will look different this year, we would like members to save the following dates for our 2021 Advocacy Days: Feb. 4th, 5th, 11th, and 12th. These days will entail virtual meetings with lawmakers via Zoom, meaning your participation may only require an hour or two of your time and you will be able to join from your own workspace! LeadingAge NY will be scheduling a handful of meetings on each of the days. We will also be encouraging members to set up phone calls or meetings of their own, particularly if their lawmakers sit on the Health, Aging, Housing, or Finance Committees.
Please note that there are now 41 new members of the State Legislature and it is possible that your representation has changed. You can find out who your lawmakers are by entering your information here. Additionally, 2021 Senate Committee appointments can be found here and Full Assembly Committee membership for 2021 has yet to be released.
2020 LeadingAge NY Legislative Bill Summary
The 2020 Legislative Session drew to an unofficial close in July, though over the subsequent months, lawmakers held several hearings, continued to introduce new legislation, and ultimately held special sessions to address the housing eviction moratorium and virtual proceedings for 2021. LeadingAge NY has developed this comprehensive document summarizing the health, housing, and long term care legislation that we followed over the course of session and the remainder of the year.
Schumer Declares Himself Majority Leader Following GA Senate Runoffs
Senator Chuck Schumer declared himself Senate Majority Leader on Wednesday following the victories of Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock in the much-anticipated Georgia runoff elections. With the results of the runoff finalized, we now know that come January 20th Democrats will have a majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Of course, January 20th will also mark the inauguration of a new Presidential administration, with President and Vice President Elect Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.
The development is more than likely to be a very positive one for New York. Senator Schumer will be the first-ever Senate Majority Leader from New York. In his role, he will be taking the lead in setting the Senate’s legislative agenda and New York will be well positioned to receive desperately needed federal aid to offset the severe fiscal impacts from COVID-19.
LeadingAge & LeadingAge NY Coronavirus Resources
LeadingAge NY continues to closely follow all COVID-19 news and we are doing our best to keep members informed of updates, recommendations and guidelines from the Department of Health (DOH).
LeadingAge NY and LeadingAge National Member resources are linked below.
LeadingAge NY Coronavirus Resources
LeadingAge NY COVID-19 Weekly Update calls – Mondays at 11 a.m. Click here to join the call from your computer, android or apple device. Or you can join the call by dialing in: 877 853 5257 (Toll Free); Webinar ID: 852 964 255.
LeadingAge National Coronavirus Resources Page
LeadingAge National Pandemic Playbook
COVID-19 Group in the MyLeadingAge Member Community
Coronavirus Daily Member Update calls – Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:30-4:30 p.m. Past call recordings are available here and you can register here for future calls.
Contact: Ami Schnauber; 518.867.8854; aschnauber@leadingageny.org
Sarah Daly; 518.867.8845; sdaly@leadingageny.org