Authorizes demonstration program for child day care resource and referral agencies

7 Co-sponsors

• Ruben Diaz
• Thomas K. Duane
• Ruth Hassell-Thompson
• John L. Sampson
• Eric T. Schneiderman
• José M. Serrano
• Antoine M. Thompson

Title of bill

An act establishing a demonstration program to facilitate employers' efforts in expanding the supply of quality child day care and in providing related benefits to their employees

Purpose or general idea of bill

To create a demonstration program to encourage public-private partnerships in expanding the supply of quality day care. The program would provide advice and assistance to employers in small, medium, and large businesses which are interested in providing on-site day care or incorporating day care into their benefit options.

Summary of specific provisions

Each of three demonstration programs shall provide for the hiring of an employer resource specialist who shall conduct outreach, provide information, and offer linkage to existing services and other employers. The resource specialist will educate businesses about the wide range of child day care and flexible benefits options available. Child care resource and referral agencies receiving a grant award will tailor the responsibilities of the employer resource specialist to the specific needs of the areas served.

Justification

There continues to be a need for expanding the availability of quality child care in New York State. In 1993, 1,270,689 children under the age of 13 years old are in demand of child care in NYS (NYS Child Care Coordinating Council, 1994). As of 1993, there was a total of 2,500 full-time and 117,000 part-time licensed child care slots in N.Y.S. (NYSCCC). One of the purposes of this Legislation is to expand the resources devoted to the CCR&R system which is considered by advocates to be under-funded. Currently our child day care system can be viewed as a two-tiered system: public-for-poor v. private-for-non-poor. One reason for establishing a demonstration program is to monitor the types and numbers of businesses served in an attempt to ascertain whether a differential system of child care and/or benefits occurs within private sector employment (for example, will this program enable small businesses to provide for their employees given the smaller range of resources available to them v. the greater resources of large corporations).

Prior legislative history

2003-2004: S.4392 Died in Committee. 2005-2006: S.1801 Died in Committee. 2007-2008: S.3199 Died in Committee

Fiscal implications for state and local governments

To be determined.

Effective date

This act shall take effect on the first of April next succeeding the date on which it shall become law, provided, however that the commissioner of the office of children and family services shall promulgate rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this act prior to such effective date.