Page 12 - Bulletin Vol 28 No 2 - May - Aug. 2023 FINAL

In Our Society | Events

Advocacy Day 2023 in Albany

On April 17 & 18, representatives from NYSDA and all
13 components gathered in Albany for Advocacy Day.
On Monday afternoon we met with representatives of
our lobby firm, Brown & Weinraub, PLLC. In addition
we spoke with NYS Assembly Health Ranker Josh
Jensen and Assembly Higher Education Ranker Robert

Smullen as well as Senators Andrew Gounardes and
James Skoufis. On Tuesday we all walked to the
Legislative Office Building to meet with all our
representatives across the state. Representing NCDS
were Drs. Gene Porcelli, Michael Shreck, Frank
Palmaccio and Bob Peskin (photo on right).
Collectively they met one on one with Senators
Mario Mattera, Jack Martins, and Kevin Thomas; As-
semblymen Steve Stern, Jake Blumencranz, and Ed
Ra; and Assemblywomen Pat Fahy and Gina Sillitti.
There were three major topics of discussion:
Insurance Reform, Workforce Shortages, and Vaccina-
tion administration by dentists. It was time well spent
as now there are bills currently being considered on
all three issues in the NYS Legislature.

Meeting with the Governor

On Tuesday, May 16th the Empire Dental Political Action
Committee (EDPAC) held a reception in honor of Governor
Kathy Hochul at the headquarters of the New York County
Dental Society in Manhattan. Members from around the state
attended including NCDS Executive Director Dr. Gene Porcelli
and NCDS President Dr. Steve Akseizer. EDPAC has been one
of Gov. Hochul’s biggest supporters over the years and we
have had several zoom interactions since her election. While
she was our keynote speaker at NYSDA's Lobby Day in 2017,
this was our first traditional, face-to-face social event with
her. Meet and greets like this help to cement that relationship
and can only help when legislation we support reaches her
desk.
NCDS President Steve Akseizer and NYSDA Executive
Director Greg Hill in the foreground at a reception for
Governor Hochul.

12 | Nassau County Dental Society ⬧ www.nassaudental.org