What's happening
This bill requires licensed day care facilities in New York to contact a child's parent or guardian if the child is unexpectedly absent.
Why it matters
Addresses child safety risks. By requiring day care providers to quickly confirm unexpected absences with parents or guardians, the bill aims to reduce the chances that a child’s whereabouts are unknown, potentially preventing tragic situations like a child being left in a car or lost in transit.
Increases accountability for day care providers. Facilities are now mandated to actively verify if a child’s absence is intentional, ensuring higher standards of care and oversight that could help identify administrative errors (e.g., missed attendance records) or miscommunications.
Promotes prompt parental awareness. Parents and guardians are notified within 30 minutes of an unexcused absence, giving them the opportunity to respond rapidly if the child’s absence was not planned, which could be crucial in emergencies.
Standardizes practice across all licensed providers. The law applies to all forms of licensed day care, including family day cares and school-age programs, ensuring uniformity in child absence protocols across New York State.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Call Parents for Daycare Absences
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
11 Co-sponsors
1 Multi-sponsor
History
- Reference changed to children and families
- Referred to consumer affairs and protection
- Referred to consumer affairs and protection
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
8591
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
September 13, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. L. ROSENTHAL, PAULIN, MOSLEY, ZEBROWSKI, BARRON, ARROYO, GRIFFIN, D'URSO, TITUS, McDONOUGH, MONTESANO -- read once and referred to the Committee on Consumer Affairs and Protection
AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to requiring licensed day care facilities to contact a child's parent or guardian if they are absent
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The social services law is amended by adding a new section 390-aa to read as follows:
§ 390-aa. Child absence confirmation. 1. For purposes of this section, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
(a) "Absent" or "absence" shall mean any child who is expected to be present for day care services who has not arrived at the scheduled dropoff time.
(b) "Child day care provider" shall have the same meaning as defined in paragraph (b) of subdivision one of section three hundred ninety of this title.
(c) "Group family day care home" shall have the same meaning as defined in paragraph (d) of subdivision one of section three hundred ninety of this title.
(d) "Family day care home" shall have the same meaning as defined in paragraph (e) of subdivision one of section three hundred ninety of this title.
(e) "School age child care" shall have the same meaning as defined in paragraph (f) of subdivision one of section three hundred ninety of this title.
2. (a) All child day care providers, school age child care programs, group family day care homes and family day care homes within the state shall be required to contact a child's parent or guardian in the event such child is absent on a given day, when prior notice of such child's
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13587-01-9
A. 8591 2
absence has not been provided, to confirm such child's absence is expected and the parent or guardian is aware of such absence.
(b) Such day care providers, programs or homes shall contact such parent or guardian by phone within thirty minutes after recording that a child is absent on such day.
§ 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.