Legislative Bulletin: The Wind Down of 2023 Legislative Session
June 16, 2023
The Wind Down of 2023 Legislative Session
The 2023 Legislative Session was scheduled to conclude on Thursday, June 8th; however, both houses of the Legislature continued their work into Saturday, June 10th. The Senate wrapped up around 3:30 in the morning on Saturday, and Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins delivered closing remarks declaring that she would see her colleagues in 2024. Meanwhile, the Assembly continued their work until about 5 p.m. on Saturday and adjourned at the call of the Speaker, with no closing remarks.
Since the Assembly’s Saturday adjournment, several news outlets have reported that the Assembly will be returning to Albany, perhaps on June 20th, to finish up work on a few outstanding pieces of legislation. Issues that have been reported to be on the agenda for the Assembly next week include proposals to make it easier to challenge criminal convictions, a potential deal with the Seneca Nation on its expiring gaming compact, and a bill that would provide low-cost health insurance to illegal immigrants.
In anticipation of the Assembly’s return, LeadingAge New York will be advocating for the passage of several bills which the Senate has already passed. If the Assembly passes these bills which LeadingAge New York supports, they will then be delivered to the Governor for action. Assembly legislation that we continue our advocacy on include a bill related to the Office of Medicaid Inspector General’s audit and review process and a bill which prohibits the establishment of new for-profit hospices.
With all scheduled legislative session activity complete, this will be the final Friday edition of Legislative Bulletin for 2023. However, we will report to members as needed on any additional action that may take place if the Assembly does indeed return to Albany next week or after.
This has been a long but very successful legislative session, and we thank all of our members for your diligent participation in advocacy this year! Since January, our network of advocates has sent over 16,300 emails and letters to lawmakers on key issues, placed hundreds of phone calls to legislative offices, and held well-over 100 meetings with elected officials. We have been blown away by your engagement in advocacy on top of all you are doing for the individuals in your care. Thank you for your engagement in advocacy this year! Your time and energy are so appreciated.
2023 Comprehensive Legislative Bill Summary
During this legislative session, LeadingAge New York tracked over 900 bills and deemed over 120 of those to be a “priority” based on their movement and potential impact or relevance to membership. Ultimately, of the 38 priority bills that were passed by both houses this year, LeadingAge New York supported 11 and opposed 2 – representing significant successes.
LeadingAge New York has published a comprehensive Legislative Bill Summary for members, reviewing the relevant bills that were passed by both houses and nearly one-hundred other priority bills that LeadingAge NY tracked and/or advocated on during the 2023 legislative session. This year, the first section of the summary highlights 26 top-priority bills and where they landed at the close of session. Should the Assembly further advance any priority legislation next week, LeadingAge New York will re-issue the summary with any updates.
Over the coming months, all bills that were passed by both houses of the Legislature will be delivered to the Governor for action. The Governor will then sign, veto, and/or require chapter amendments for all legislation advanced by the Legislature. As priority bills get delivered to the Governor, LeadingAge New York will weigh in with our support, opposition, or suggestions for amendment.
In reviewing the comprehensive bill summary, members are encouraged to consider how this information can be used to inform local advocacy over the coming months. Perhaps there are bills that you may ask your legislators to sign on to as a co-sponsor. Or perhaps there are bills you might urge your legislators to oppose if they come up again next year.
If you have any questions or concerns about the bills mentioned in this document or would like to discuss advocacy initiatives, please feel free to contact Sarah Daly at sdaly@leadingageny.org.
Legislative Session Concludes, but Grassroots Advocacy Continues!
While we celebrate the end-of-session, it is critical that members use the summer months to continue in-district advocacy and foster strong relationships with local legislators. Over the coming months members are strongly encouraged to continue conversations with legislators and continue to keep them apprised of developments in your organization and the challenges you face. Members are also encouraged to invite state legislators to visit your facility, whether it be for a tour or outdoor event. Legislators will appreciate the chance to connect with the residents and staff of your organization, and any legislative visit would be a mutually great opportunity for them to see first-hand the amazing work and care that not-for-profit and publicly run long-term care organizations provide.
It is important to remember that advocacy is a year-round endeavor. The summer and fall present a more relaxed opportunity to build upon the strong advocacy foundation that was laid during this year’s legislative session. We must ensure lawmakers understand the significant financial and workforce challenges across-the-board in long-term care, and how these challenges continue to impact residents, patients, and staff. As always, members are encouraged to lean on LeadingAge NY as you consider ways to engage in advocacy over the summer and fall. We are happy to speak with you directly about ways to continue advocacy over the summer, and we also would be happy to join you for any meetings or events with lawmakers.
While this may be the last Legislative Bulletin of the year, we will have periodic advocacy updates in our Tuesday Intelligence publication. Additionally, members are encouraged to check out our Advocacy webpage through-out the summer for updated digital advocacy letters, 2023-24 budget materials, and other advocacy and public policy news. We will be keeping our eyes on all state policy and legislative developments, and will let members know as relevant bills are delivered to the Governor for action. Finally, please do not hesitate to reach out to Sarah Daly directly at sdaly@leadingageny.org with any questions or thoughts related to advocacy or recently passed legislation. We are happy to support you in your advocacy efforts!
ACTION ALERT: Congress Considers Deep Cuts to Affordable Senior Housing Funding
The House Committee on Appropriations Chair Kay Granger has announced her intention to limit overall spending for fiscal year 2024 (FY24) appropriations bills to that of fiscal year 2022 (FY22)—a level of funding that would be devastating for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the older adults served through its programs.
- 52% of Project-Based Rental Assistance (PBRA) households belong to older adults; FY22 levels would eliminate funding for approximately 87,000 Section 8 PBRA households.
- 29% of Housing Choice Voucher-assisted households belong to older adults; FY22 levels would eliminate funding for 350,000 current voucher-assisted households.
- Funding at FY22 levels also means new Section 202 housing builds and Service Coordinator grants would likely be cut in FY24.
The cuts being considered would have a devastating impact on HUD and the programs it uses to support older adults with very low income across the country.
Homelessness and housing cost burdens for older adults are on the rise—now is the time for Congress to increase funding for HUD programs, not make deep cuts.
Click here to urge Congress to protect and expand affordable senior housing!
LeadingAge & LeadingAge New York 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.
*Please Note: Due to the observation of Juneteenth, LeadingAge NY will be hosting the COVID-19 Weekly Update on Tuesday, June 20th at 11 AM.
LeadingAge National Coronavirus Policy Updates – Mondays and Wednesdays at 3:30 p.m. Past call recordings are available here and you can register here for future calls.
*Please Note: Due to the observation of Juneteenth, there will be no National Coronavirus Policy Update call on Monday, June 19th. The next call will be held on Wednesday, June 21st.
Contact: Sarah Daly; 518.867.8845; sdaly@leadingageny.org