Preparing for an important legislative session
The holidays crept up on many of us this year, but not on PIANY: The association surveyed its members and held focus groups by way of Advisory Councils in October to pinpoint the issues members want their association to focus on—issues that impact our businesses every day. And, once those were identified, PIA volunteers took up the cause and visited their representatives in their local district offices, before the New Year and the 2016 legislative session. The District Office Visit program is a great opportunity for any PIANY member to participate and visit their state legislators and members of Congress between November and January in their local area.
Though the legislature is not in session during the holidays, 2016 (a major election year) is going to be an extremely important legislative session. Some of the issues PIA is attacking include addressing the unfair competitive advantages of the New York State Insurance Fund (including eliminating the 30-day notice of withdrawal rule and requiring the fund to be licensed); bringing workers’ compensation under the same cancellation and nonrenewal protections for policyholders; reform to the state’s continuing education rules to eliminate conflict that comes with holding multiple licenses; standardizing hurricane deductible triggers; tort reform and making sure that ride hailing operations (and those using them) have adequate coverages.
I had the opportunity to take part in the District Office Visit program again, and met New York Assemblyman Todd Kaminsky, D-20 in November. The meeting went great: I was well prepared with materials and information from PIA on each of the items we talked about and the assemblyman was grateful to have an informed constituent help him understand why these priorities are so important to businesses in his district.
And I wasn’t the only one meeting with my representatives. At the time this article goes to production, several visits have taken place and more are scheduled. The photos included demonstrate the active participation of PIANY Vice President Fred Holender. Out of the gate, he and PIANY Past Presidents Lynn Frank and Anthony Kubera have met with the majority of lawmakers in Western New York. The New York Young Insurance Professionals also are participating: fellow Long Islander and NY-YIP President Jason Bartow met with Sen. John Flanagan recently.
My friend and colleague, Jeff Greenfield likes to say, “PIA stands for Passion in Action.” He’s right. PIANY facilitates these crucial outreach meetings with legislators across the state for any member interested in participating. If you are interested in taking part in the District Office Visits that take place every fall or the Advisory Councils, which also occur in your area twice a year, call PIA at (800) 424-4244. If you don’t have time to give, PIA and its volunteers will do the work for you, but you still can contribute. As I mentioned at the top of this article, 2016 will be an important election year and the association needs PAC contributions. As I write this in December, I can put this on my holiday wish list, along with all of the priorities mentioned above.
I wish you and yours a prosperous and healthy new year.
End Note: N. Stephen Ruchman, CPIA, is a retired independent agent and founder of Ruchman Associates, Inc. the agency he started in 1961. A past president of the Professional Insurance Agents of New York State, Inc., he is an active supporter of PIANY, and he has sat on or chaired nearly every committee including the Executive Committee and the Long Island Advisory Council and PIANY’s Political Action Committee. He can be reached via email at: nsruchman@gmail.com.
