Press Release:
H.E. Turner & Co., Inc. Funeral Home of Batavia, was honored to represent the funeral service profession and the families it serves at the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) Advocacy Summit, held April 9 to 11, in Washington, D.C.
Steven L. Johnson, partner and funeral director at H.E. Turner & Co., Inc., participated in the summit as the only funeral firm from the State of New York, joining approximately 200 funeral professionals from across the country who came together to advocate on behalf of the NFDA’s 20,000 members nationwide.
Over the course of the summit, attendees collectively held around 300 meetings with legislators, senators, and their staffs—amplifying the voice of funeral service professionals and the families they support.
During his time in Washington, Mr. Johnson met with the legislative staffs of:
- Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY)
- Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
- Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT)
- Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-NY24)
- Rep. George Latimer (D-NY16)
Mr. Johnson and other NFDA advocates championed support for a number of bipartisan bills, including:
- H.R. 4275 / S.2191 – The Consensual Donation and Research Integrity Act
- H.R. 2436 – The Funeral Coverage Act of 2025
- S.1116 / H.R. 647 – The Ensuring Veterans’ Final Resting Place Act of 2025
- H.R. 1344 – The Dennis and Lois Krisfalusy Act
- H.R. 1228 – The Prioritizing Veterans' Survivors Act
- S.587 – The Death Tax Repeal Act
- S.623 / H.R. 1415 – The No IRIS Act of 2025
“Our mission in Washington was simple,” said Mr. Johnson. “To advocate for legislation that helps the families we serve—across all walks of life and political affiliations—and to ensure funeral service professionals have a voice in shaping the laws that impact our communities during life’s most difficult moments.”
H.E. Turner & Co., Inc. believes in the power of bipartisan advocacy to advance commonsense policies that uphold dignity, support grieving families, and ensure ethical practices across the deathcare profession.
The firm will continue to track the progress of these legislative efforts in the months ahead and is encouraged by the bipartisan interest shown during the summit.
For more information, contact Steven L. Johnson, Partner & Funeral Director H.E. Turner & Co., Inc. Funeral Home, at 585-343-8868 or steven@bataviafuneralhomes.com.
