What's happening
This bill limits child care copayments so families pay no more than 20% of income above the poverty level.
Why it matters
Caps out-of-pocket costs for low- and moderate-income families. By limiting child care copayments to 20% of income above the poverty line, the bill ensures that families won't face unpredictable or excessive costs, making budgeting and planning more stable.
Targets financial relief where it’s most meaningful. The structure means that as family income rises above the poverty level, only that additional portion is used to calculate the copayment, protecting the lowest-income families from steep fees and supporting those just above the poverty line who often struggle with benefit cliffs.
May broaden access to child care. Lower copayments can encourage more families to seek child care assistance, supporting parents' ability to work or attend school, which could have ripple effects on family stability and economic mobility.
Standardizes copayment rules across local districts. By setting a statewide maximum, the bill prevents local variation in copayment requirements, ensuring more equitable access to child care assistance no matter where a family lives in New York.
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
Limit Child Care Copays
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Print number 1546a
- Amend and recommit to children and families
- 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.
Limit Child Care Copays
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
1546--A
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 15, 2019
Introduced by Sen. KENNEDY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Children and Families -recommitted to the Committee on Children and Families in accordance with Senate Rule 6, sec. 8 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to standardizing child care copayments
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 6 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:
6. Pursuant to department regulations, child care assistance shall be provided on a sliding fee basis based upon the family's ability to pay. The local social services district shall not require a family receiving child care assistance pursuant to this title to contribute more than twenty percent of the amount of their income exceeding the poverty level.
§ 2. This act shall take effect April 1, 2021.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03994-02-0
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 standardizing child care copayments
Purpose
To create equal access to child care assistance throughout the state by standardizing the amount of the family share.
Summary of specific provisions
Section one requires that local social services districts charge a copayment of no greater than 20% of the difference in the family's income and the poverty level.
Section two sets an April 1, 2021 effective date.
Justification
Families receiving child care subsidies must contribute to the cost of childcare, calculated as a percentage of the family's income above the Federal Poverty Level. This percentage varies from 10% in some counties to 35% in others, and creates a barrier to accessing childcare for fami- lies that live in counties charging the higher end of the scale.
Currently, there are at least 25 counties that employ the 35% multiplier when calculating a family's copayment. The cost-sharing requirement can be the deciding factor for whether a family will be able to afford child care, even when provided with a subsidy. Such inequities create an unfair burden and prevent access to child care assistance for low-income families.
Legislative history
S1546/A3110 2019 Died in Children and Families Committee S6061/A1438 of 2017/2018 - Died in Children and Families Committee
Fiscal implications
To be determined.
Effective date
April 1, 2021.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.