What's happening
This bill ensures child care subsidies for parents or caretakers working late shifts so they can sleep, if their child is under six and not in school full-time.
Why it matters
Addresses sleep deprivation among late-shift workers. By allowing child care subsidies specifically so parents can sleep after working late, the bill recognizes the serious health and safety risks of sleep deprivation for both parents and their children.
Targets the most vulnerable families. The provision is limited to children under six who are not in school full-time, focusing support on families with the greatest child care needs during daytime hours when parents need rest.
Promotes job stability and economic security. By helping late-shift workers access child care so they can get adequate rest, the bill can reduce absenteeism, job loss, and financial stress for working parents or guardians.
Acknowledges non-traditional work schedules. The amendment updates subsidy rules to reflect the realities of a 24-hour economy, supporting parents whose work hours fall outside the standard 9-to-5 day.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Subsidize Sleep for Parents
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Reported and committed to finance
- Referred to children and families
- Print number 3977a
- Amend and recommit to finance
- Reported and committed to finance
- Referred to children and families
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.
Subsidize Childcare for Sleep
In Assembly Committee · Ways And Means · Sponsor Ellen C. Jaffee
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3977--A
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 31, 2017
Introduced by Sen. SAVINO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Children and Families -reported favorably from said committee and committed to the Committee on Finance -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to parents and caretakers who work a late shift
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 410-w of the social services law is amended by adding a new subdivision 9 to read as follows:
9. Parents and caretakers who are otherwise eligible for a child care subsidy shall receive a subsidy when care is necessary to enable them to sleep because they work a late shift and have a child who is under the age of six and not in school for a full school day. The authorization for a subsidy shall be sufficient to allow the parent to obtain up to eight hours of sleep, as needed.
§ 2. This act shall take effect April 1, 2018.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01763-03-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the social services law, in relation to parents and caretakers who work a late shift
Purpose
Parents who work nights often need childcare so that they can sleep during the day if their children are young and not in school. This bill will provide parents and caretakers who are otherwise eligible, a childcare subsidy when care is necessary to enable them to get an adequate night's rest.
Summary of specific provisions
Amends Section 410-W of the Social Services law to allow parents and caretakers who are otherwise eligible for a child care subsidy to receive a subsidy when care is necessary to enable them to sleep for up to 8 hours because they work a late shift and have a child who is under the age of six and not in school for a full day.
Justification
The need for subsidized childcare for parents working night shifts is a statewide concern. Regulations currently permit, but do not require social services districts to provide a childcare subsidy to financially eligible parents and caretakers who work second or third shifts and need childcare for their young children in order to sleep. Forty seven social services districts provide this subsidized daytime childcare.
The remaining eleven districts are located throughout the entire state. This bill will assure that low income parents with young children who work the night shift and need childcare to get adequate sleep will be able to do so regardless of where they live.
Sleep is crucial for good physical and emotional health. It plays an essential role in healing and repairing heart and blood vessels. Ongoing sleep deficiency is linked to an increased risk of heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and stroke. The sleep deprived are more susceptible to depression and impaired decision making. Additionally, it's not only the total number of hours of sleep that is important, but also the quality of sleep.
The American Psychological Association (APA) suggests, "If you are among the 20 percent of employees in the United States who are shift workers, sleep may be particularly elusive. Shift work forces you to try to sleep when activities around you - and your own "biological rhythms" - signal you to be awake." The APA also points out that shift workers are nearly 2 - 5 times more likely fall asleep on the job than employees who work regular daytime hours.
Working parents who do not get the proper amount of sleep is a very dangerous reality. Parents who work long evening hours may not have the physical or mental capability of taking care of their children during the day. Daily activities such as preparing meals and getting ready for school are interrupted. They may display a lack of necessary patience or provide inadequate attention to their children. Sleep deprived parents may not be as attuned to their children or unable to recognize early childhood health or social problems. Even more frightening, sleep deprived parents may unintentionally resort to using inappropriate measures to discipline their children.
Prior legislative history
Senate: Passed Children & Families and Reported to Finance 2016, 2013, 2012, 2011 Assembly: Passed Assembly 2016, 2015
Fiscal implications for state and local governments
Undetermined.
Effective date
April 1, 2018
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.