NYSNA Members Kick Off 2026 Legislative Session in Albany

The 2026 New York state legislative session is underway, and NYSNA members from across the state have been working hard to ensure that healthcare workers’ voices and demands are heard in the halls of our state capitol. From marching and rallying in support of taxing the rich to demanding that legislators fix Tier 6 pension benefits to lobbying lawmakers to pass a state budget that prioritizes safe, quality patient care, NYSNA members won’t stop advocating for the needs of the working families and communities we serve every day.

Paying Their Fair Share

On Wednesday, Feb. 25, NYSNA nurses joined labor and community allies and elected officials, including former NYSNA member and current New York State Assembly Member Phara Souffrant Forrest, for an Albany Takeover to demand that New York state tax the rich.  After rallying at the Armory, attendees marched to the state capitol to demand New York state invest in public goods that benefit working families. NYSNA nurses are proud to have joined in the action and spent the day fostering new connections with advocates from across the state.

Fix Tier 6

On Sunday, March 8, public sector NYSNA nurses were back in Albany for a rally calling on New York state legislators to fix Tier 6. Tier 6 is the retirement plan for New York state’s public employees who joined the program after April 2012. Tier 6 makes enrollees pay into the program for their entire careers at higher rates than previous tiers and prevents enrollees from retiring before age 63 without facing heavy penalties. This system leads to significantly reduced pensions and, as such, disincentivizes New Yorkers — including nurses — from working in the public sector.

NYSNA Executive Director Pat Kane, RN, was one of the keynote speakers at the rally, addressing thousands of union members from across New York. Everyone was united by their belief that all workers deserve to retire with dignity and respect, especially those who serve New York. Legislators must do everything possible to help public sector hospitals recruit and retain enough nurses to safely care for the New Yorkers who need it most!

Nurses Take Over the Capitol

On Tuesday, March 10, NYSNA members made the trip to Albany once again for our annual Lobby Day! Members made sure that elected officials heard nurses’ and healthcare workers’ voices with a press conference for safe, quality patient care at noon and a day of meetings with legislators. This year, members are calling on the state to protect New Yorkers and:

• Ensure that all New Yorkers have high-quality healthcare by passing the New York Health Act. 
• Raise revenues to fund healthcare. 
• Improve safe staffing levels and enforcement of our state’s staffing laws. 
• Protect nursing practice standards and patient safety. 
• Fix Tier 6.

Speaking at the rally, NYSNA President Nancy Hagans, RN, BSN, CCRN, said, “After winning a historic strike in New York City that secured strong contracts that improve patient care, we’re taking our call to the halls of power at the state level to ensure that patients are defended and nurses are able to give the best care possible. The federal attacks on healthcare will strip coverage from more than a million New Yorkers. But New York state has the opportunity to step in and do the right thing to safeguard care by ensuring that your care is not determined by your ZIP code, nationality, gender identity and more. The moment to take action is now!”

What’s Next?

The 2026 New York state legislative session runs through June, and as such, NYSNA members will continue to call on Albany to prioritize spending and policies that improve access to quality healthcare! Nurses are patient advocates, and that work must continue beyond the bedside. With nearly 1 million New Yorkers set to lose healthcare coverage this year, rampant attacks on trans and immigrant New Yorkers, and the rapidly increasing presence of AI in healthcare settings, our New York state legislators must meet the moment and enact policies that prioritize safe, quality patient care and New York working families’ needs.