One
Voice
2019 Legislative Outlook
T
he November midterm elections brought significant change to New York’s political
landscape at both the state and federal level. For the first time in nearly a decade,
Democrats gained a majority in the State Senate, winning 40 of the 63 seats and securing
full control of state government. Three Republican-held congressional seats flipped as
well, allowing Democrats to regain control of the U.S. House of Representatives. As
members of the House majority, many New York Democrats will have seniority and will
likely hold some key leadership positions.
Ami Schnauber
The Assembly Democrats will continue to hold an overwhelming majority under the
leadership of Speaker Carl Heastie. However, we expect to see some changes in other key
leadership and chairmanship positions because Majority Leader Joe Morelle was elected
to Congress, and Deputy Speaker Earlene Hooper lost her primary. This could lead to
several changes in committee chairs, though I expect that longtime Health Committee
Chair Dick Gottfried will retain his position.
Perhaps the most significant change, with the biggest impact, is the flip of the majority in
the Senate. All but two of the former IDC members lost their primaries, helping to shore
up the Democratic Conference early on. Then, in the general election, Democrats were
able to retain all of their seats and also oust several incumbent Republicans, including
longtime Health Committee Chair Kemp Hannon. Democratic Senator Andrea Stewart-
Cousins from Yonkers was selected as the first female majority leader of the New York
State Senate at the end of November and will preside over the party’s largest majority in
over a century. This majority flip will mean that offices and chairmanships and leadership
positions will change. The current ranking member of the Health Committee is Senator
Gustavo Rivera, who could be the potential chair in January.
The new Congress convening in January will have a host of new members as well,
given the number of seats that changed party control and the
retirements of several longtime legislators. The House gained
These changes offer challenges but also
historic diversity, with more than 100 women winning seats
great opportunities to educate the incoming
and new African-American, Muslim, Latino/Latina and Native
American representatives. With a new Democratic House
legislators on the long-term services and
majority, committee chairs will change, and Democrats will gain
supports on which people rely as they age.
more seats on key committees with jurisdiction over Medicare,
Medicaid, affordable housing and appropriations. Several New
York Democrats will have seniority and will likely hold some key leadership positions in
the new Congress, offering the state a stronger voice on federal issues.
I am particularly pleased that Assemblymen Anthony Brindisi and Joe Morelle won
election to Congress. Both were strong advocates for aging services in the Assembly,
with Brindisi taking the lead on pushing an SSI increase for assisted living and Morelle
taking the lead on securing dedicated health care transformation grant funding for long
term care providers. We expect to continue this strong collaborative relationship with
them in their new positions.
These changes offer challenges but also great opportunities to educate the incoming
legislators on the long-term services and supports on which people rely as they age. In
addition to fighting unfunded mandates and any cuts to Medicaid and Medicare, we have
several important pieces of legislation that we will be pursuing this year.
(See 2019 Legislative Outlook on page 41)
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Adviser a publication of LeadingAge New York | Fall 2018