What's happening
The bill amends social services law to define an infant as a child under age two for certain child care payment rates.
Why it matters
By clearly defining "infant" as a child under age two for child care payment rates, the bill could lead to higher reimbursement rates for providers caring for these youngest children, reflecting the increased staffing and resource needs for this age group.
The change may incentivize more group family day care homes and family day care homes to accept or prioritize infants, potentially increasing availability of infant care slots for working families.
Families with children under two may see improved access to quality child care options, as providers could be better compensated for the higher costs associated with infant care.
This adjustment could help address disparities in child care access and quality between children from families receiving assistance and those not receiving public support, as rates would more closely match actual care needs for infants.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Update Infant Child Care Definition
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to children and families
- 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.
Update Infant Child Care Rules
In Assembly Committee · Children And Families · Sponsor Aravella Simotas
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
6476
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
May 24, 2017
Introduced by Sen. HANNON -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Children and Families
AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to age of infant and reimbursement
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 4 of section 410-x of the social services law, as added by section 52 of part B of chapter 436 of the laws of 1997, is amended to read as follows:
4. The amount to be paid or allowed for child care assistance funded under the block grant shall be the actual cost of care but no more than the applicable market-related payment rate established by the department in regulations. The payment rates established by the department shall be sufficient to ensure equal access for eligible children to comparable child care assistance in the substate area that are provided to children whose parents are not eligible to receive assistance under any federal or state programs. Such payment rates shall take into account the variations in the costs of providing child care in different settings and to children of different age groups, and the additional costs of providing child care for children with special needs. For the purpose of determining such payment rates for group family day care homes and family day care homes as defined in section three hundred ninety of this article, an infant shall be considered a child under the age of two.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the first of April next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04545-01-7
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 age of infant and reimbursement
Purpose or general idea of bill
To ensure child care providers receive reimbursement adequate to maintain a stable business.
Summary of specific provisions
Section one of this bill would require that a home based child care provider be reimbursed at the infant rate for a child up to two years of age.
Section two of the bill provides that the act shall take effect on the first of April next succeeding the date on which it shall have become law.
Justification
Licensing regulations require a certain staff to child ratio depending on the age and number of children receiving care with additional staff being required for any increases in infant care. As a result, the subsidy reimbursement amount for infant care is higher than what would be provided for older children. Subsidy regulations define an infant as a child from 0-18 months, however staffing ratios set forth by the Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) for home based child care providers considers an infant to be 0-24 months. This creates a 6-month financial shortfall for providers who do not receive the higher reimbursement amount, but are still required to operate under the standards of the licensing requirements such as a higher level of staff to child ratio.Aligning the definition of infant in subsidy regulation and licensing regulations will ensure that home based providers receive an adequate subsidy to compensate for the level of care that is being provided.
Prior legislative history
New bill.
Fiscal implications
To be determined
Effective date
The first of April next succeeding the date on which it shall have become law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.