What's happening
This bill requires social services districts to offer a 12-month work exemption to certain public assistance recipients caring for infants and mandates detailed reporting on child care funding shortfalls.
Why it matters
Enhances support for low-income parents of infants. By mandating a 12-month work exemption for public assistance recipients caring for infants, the bill acknowledges the critical developmental needs of children under one and the challenges parents face in accessing affordable infant care, potentially improving both child well-being and caregiver health.
Targets areas with child care funding shortages. The exemption is specifically required in districts where funding is insufficient to serve all eligible working families below 200% of the state income standard, spotlighting systemic resource gaps and providing direct relief where the need is greatest.
Increases transparency and accountability in child care funding. The required reporting on families and children denied care due to funding shortfalls will generate detailed data on unmet needs, equipping policymakers and advocates with evidence to push for more equitable distribution of resources or increased funding.
Addresses equity in service delivery. By focusing on both the process (prioritization of groups) and outcomes (who is left unserved), the bill could help reduce disparities in access to child care assistance, especially for families with young children in underfunded areas.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Let Parents Skip Work For Childcare
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
7 Co-sponsors
History
- Amended on third reading 4829a
- Ordered to third reading cal.341
- Ordered to third reading rules cal.288
- Rules report cal.288
- Reported
- Reported referred to rules
- Reported referred to ways and means
- Referred to social services
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Exempt Caregivers From Work Requirement
In Senate Committee · Finance · Sponsor Tony Avella
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
4829--A Cal. No. 341
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 3, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. TITUS, NOLAN, LUPARDO, MOSLEY, BRONSON, WALKER, OTIS, BARRON -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. BRAUNSTEIN, DAVILA, FAHY, JAFFEE, LAVINE, PERRY, SOLAGES, STECK, WEINSTEIN -- read once and referred to the Committee on Social Services -- ordered to a third reading, amended and ordered reprinted, retaining its place on the order of third reading
AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to the twelve month work exemption for certain parents or relatives providing child care
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 2 of section 410-x of the social services law, as amended by chapter 416 of the laws of 2000, is amended to read as follows:
2. (a) A social services district may establish priorities for the families which will be eligible to receive funding; provided that the priorities provide that eligible families will receive equitable access to child care assistance funds to the extent that these funds are available.
(b) A social services district shall set forth its priorities for child care assistance in the district's consolidated services plan. The commissioner of the office of children and family services shall not approve any plan that does not provide for equitable access to child care assistance funds.
(c) A social services district shall be authorized to set aside portions of its block grant allocation to serve one or more of its priority groups and/or to discontinue funding to families with lower priorities in order to serve families with higher priorities; provided that the method of disbursement to priority groups provides that eligible families within a priority group will receive equitable access to child care assistance funds to the extent that these funds are available.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01047-02-8
A. 4829--A 2
(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the commissioner in any social services district that does not have sufficient funding to serve all eligible working families under two hundred percent of the state income standard, shall offer the twelve month work exemption provided in paragraph (d) of subdivision one of section three hundred thirty-two of this chapter, to all parents or other relatives in receipt of public assistance who are personally providing care for a child under one year of age regardless of whether such parent or other relative has previously been offered an exemption under such section three hundred thirty-two. This section shall not apply to individuals who:
(i) solely participate in work activities that provide earned income; or
(ii) participate in a combination of work activities; for the portion of work activities that provide earned income.
(e) In the event that a social services district must discontinue funding to a priority group it shall notify the office of children and family services within ten days of such action, identifying the particular group affected. In the event that funding is restored, the social services district shall notify the office of children and family services within ten days of such restoration.
(f) Each social services district shall collect and submit to the commissioner of the office of children and family services in a manner to be specified by the commissioner of the office of children and family services information concerning the disbursement of child care assistance funds showing geographic distribution of children receiving assistance within the district, the number of working families who were otherwise eligible for child care assistance but who were denied because the district lacked sufficient funding to serve all eligible families and the number and age of children who could not be served as a result.
[(e)] (g) The commissioner of the office of children and family services shall submit a report to the governor, temporary president of the senate and the speaker of the assembly on or before August thirtyfirst[, two thousand one] of every year concerning the implementation of this section. This report shall include information concerning the disbursement of child care assistance funds showing geographic distribution of children receiving assistance within the state. Beginning August thirty-first, one year after the chapter of the laws of two thousand eighteen that amended this subdivision shall take effect, and each subsequent report thereafter, such report shall also:
(i) identify the counties that have discontinued or restored funding to priority groups, as set forth in subdivision (e) of this section;
(ii) list the priority groups affected;
(iii) provide for each county for each of the twelve months covered by this report the number of working families who were otherwise eligible for child care assistance but who were denied because the district lacked sufficient funding to serve all eligible families; and
(iv) the number and age of children who could not be served as a result.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.