What's happening
This bill directs New York to study and develop strategies to expand child care access in economically distressed areas.
Why it matters
Recognizes child care as both an economic driver and a support for working families. , emphasizing that improving child care access can help break cycles of poverty and support the next generation’s success, especially in areas with high unemployment and poverty.
Mandates a comprehensive evaluation of child care availability, affordability, and economic impact. in five carefully selected distressed areas, ensuring that policy responses are grounded in local data and tailored to actual community needs.
Examines not just family burdens but also business impacts. , including how lack of child care affects worker productivity, retention, and local economic development—an approach aimed at making the case for broader investment and business involvement.
Requires development of actionable strategies and incentives. for both public and private sectors to expand child care access, including integrating child care considerations into future economic development programs and encouraging business-provided or on-site care solutions.
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Headline styles
Expand Child Care Access
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
2 Co-sponsors
History
- Vetoed memo.225
- Delivered to governor
- Returned to senate
- Passed assembly
- Ordered to third reading cal.164
- Substituted for A2315A
- Referred to economic development
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 61–0
- Ordered to third reading cal.771
- Reported and committed to rules
- Referred to corporations, authorities and commissions
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.
Expand Child Care Access
Assembly Floor Calendar · Sponsor Michaelle C. Solages
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
5690
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
May 13, 2019
Introduced by Sen. SANDERS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions
AN ACT to amend the New York state urban development corporation act, in relation to evaluation and assistance to increase access to child care
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 1 of chapter 174 of the laws of 1968, constituting the New York state urban development corporation act, is amended by adding a new section 54 to read as follows:
§ 54. Evaluation and assistance to increase access to child care. (1) The legislature hereby finds that access to quality child care is an important element of the state's economy for working families, and that child care providers comprise a large sector in New York state's economy. The legislature further finds that the potential for future growth in the state is often linked to the next generation's achievements. The ability to obtain such achievements are strengthened by the availability and adequacy of early childhood education. The legislature declares that it is crucial for the governor and legislature to obtain reliable, objective information about the economic benefits of investing in child care programs, specifically in low-income neighborhoods with pervasive poverty and high unemployment rates.
(2) For the purposes of this section:
(a) "economically distressed areas" shall mean areas as determined by the corporation meeting criteria indicative of economic distress, including high unemployment rate; high rate of employment change; percentages and numbers of low-income persons; per capita income and per capita real property wealth; and such other indicators of distress as the corporation shall determine. Economically distressed areas may include cities, municipalities, block numbering areas, and census tracts.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04236-03-9
S. 5690 2
(b) "child care" shall mean any licensed, registered or regulated child care program as defined by section three hundred ninety of the social services law.
(3) The corporation, in collaboration with the office of children and family services, the office of temporary and disability assistance, and if practicable, local social services districts, shall identify a total of five economically distressed areas throughout the state to evaluate child care programs which are intended to serve the needs of low-income working families. In its evaluation, the corporation shall:
(a) determine the availability and capacity of child care programs throughout the state as well as the impact these businesses have on the economic development of the surrounding area;
(b) determine the financial obligations related to child care facing working families;
(c) determine the available financial resources for working families with children related to child care;
(d) determine the economic impact of child care on employed persons or persons in an educational program;
(e) determine the financial impact that lack of access to child care has on businesses and the impact that it has on worker retention, productivity and other appropriate factors;
(f) determine existing state resources available for businesses and employed persons to assist with child care costs; and
(g) determine what incentives exist for businesses to provide child care opportunities to their employees including on-site child care programs.
(4) Upon completion of the study as required by subdivision three of this section, the corporation, in collaboration with the office of children and family services, the office of temporary and disability assistance, and if practicable, local social services districts, shall identify and develop a strategy for the expansion and creation of child care programs in the five economically distressed areas through the various programs of the corporation. To the extent possible, the corporation shall also determine ways to incentivize businesses to create and expand the availability of child care programs. The corporation shall determine a strategy to include child care as a criteria component for existing and new economic development programs when feasible.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the New York state urban development corporation act, in relation to evaluation and assistance to increase access to child care
Purpose or general idea of bill
The purpose of this bill is to evaluate access to child care and the economic benefits of investing in child care programs, specifically in low-income neighborhoods.
Summary of specific provisions
This bill would require the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) to select five economically distressed areas to evaluate child care programs intended to serve low-income families. Utilizing information gathered, the UDC will identify and develop strategies for the expansion and creation of child care programs through the various programs of the UDC. The study would be completed in collaboration with the Office of Children and Family Services, the Office of Temporary Disability Assist- ance, and if practicable, local social services districts.
Justification
Access to affordable child care can be a significant struggle for work- ing families. As a result, families must spend a significant portion of their paycheck on child care in order to go to work or pursue their education. Further, affordable child care programs may not adequately promote early childhood education, thus not giving the child the posi- tive start they need to pursue their future education. Some families simply cannot afford child care programs, thus leading them to seek other alternatives that may impact employment rates, worker retention, or worker productivity. Lack of access to child care can be detrimental to the State's economic growth as a whole.
The potential for future growth in the State is often linked to the next generation's achievements. The ability to obtain such achievements is strengthened by the availability and adequacy of early childhood educa- tion. Therefore, it is important for New York to obtain reliable and objective information to determine alternative measures to ensure that families have access to affordable child care. By identifying such information the State has the opportunity to assist working families and provide children the best start possible to their future.
Prior legislative history
2015: A.8114 advanced to third reading 2016: A.8114 advanced to third reading 2017: A.3494 advanced to third reading cal. 2018: A.3494-A advanced to third reading cal.
Fiscal implications for state and local governments
Undetermined.
Effective date
Immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.