NYSSRC Ad Hoc Committee for Academic Advancement of Respiratory Care Profession in NY State (Committee: Stephen Smith, Felix Khusid, Lisa Endee, Chris Slocum, Katherine Herlihy (legal counsel)
On Friday, March 21, the Ad Hoc Team had a preparatory meeting to discuss our scheduled meeting with Assemblymember and Chair of Higher Education Alicia Hyndman. On Monday, March 24, we met with Assemblymember Alicia Hyndman, had had a robust discussion regarding bill A.236-A (Magnarelli). Our concern was to try to get this bill on the committee’s agenda and hopefully move the bill forward through the Assembly.
On April 30, the Ad Hoc Team, which included Brandi Ewing, Felix Khusid and Stephen G. Smith, along with Kate Herlihy, Benjamin Eddy and Richard Leckerling from Whiteman, Osterman and Hanna, LLP met with legislators in both the NYS Assembly and NYS Senate to lobby for our bill S.6329-A (Gounardes)/A.236-A (Magnarelli). The day went extremely well, and we had the opportunity to meet with 11 legislators. The members we met with is attached to this report. After our meeting, (R) Senator Anthony H. Palumbo, 1st Senate District in Suffolk County, Long Island, had informed us that he would co-sponsor the bill in the Senate.
On Friday, May 9, we were informed by Hannah O’Neil from WOH that Senator Gounardes had updated the bill that was submitted to the NYS Senate. The updated bill is attached to this report. On Wednesday, May 14, the Assemblymember Magnarelli updated the bill to match the Senate version.
On May 16, Kate Herlihy reported that the Senate Higher Education Committee had placed our bill on the agenda for Tuesday, May 20, 2025. The updated bill number is S.6329-A (Gounardes)/A.236-A (Magnarelli). Kate had requested that we attempt to ask a few of the organizations (not individuals) who had issued Memos/Letters of Support to update their letters with this year’s bill number. Working with Felix Khusid, we were able to get those letters completed. I just want to thank Felix for his work helping me get these letters completed. As a result of this request, I feel like we are starting this process all over again, but I am beginning to see a light at the end of the tunnel.
Following up with our meeting with the Legislators on April 30, the team sent thank you emails to each member we met with. Attached is a copy of an email that was sent.
On Friday, May 23, Kate emailed us to give us a big congratulations on the bill advancing out of the Senate Higher Education committee on Tuesday. She indicated that this is a great step forward and was certainly helped by your presence in Albany earlier this month. There was no discussion nor debate (very common). It was also reported that there were no memos in opposition. This does not mean that subsequent opposition hasn’t been relayed, or private conversations have been had. But nothing was public at the time of the meeting. (We will continue to follow up to see if there are any subsequent memos filed). (If SUNY, CUNY, Greater NY, HANYS don’t weigh in, that is helpful!) Kate Herlihy, legal counsel, followed up with some lingering concerns with the Higher Education staff on this bill (likely driven by SED), but we have continued to request that the Assembly Higher Ed committee move the bill. We will let you know if the bill is on the final agenda in the Assembly and regardless will continue to push the Senate. Please look at the link showing the vote taking place in the Senate Higher Education Committee meeting.
Three Documents for your Review:
- Information on the legislators we visited
- Example of a thank you letter to legislators and their response
- Updated Senate bill was Introduced into the NYS Senate by Senator Andrew Gounardes and Senator Anthony H. Palumbo. This exact bill was introduced into the Assembly by Assemblymember William Magnarelli.
Link to bill in the NYS Senate.
