STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          1885

                               2023-2024 Regular Sessions

                   IN ASSEMBLY

                                    January 23, 2023
                                       ___________

        Introduced by M. of A. CLARK, HEVESI, SEAWRIGHT, GONZALEZ-ROJAS, THIELE,
          JACKSON,  SIMON, DAVILA, ZINERMAN, LUPARDO, KELLES, GALLAGHER, STIRPE,
          McMAHON, MAGNARELLI, BRONSON, WALLACE -- read once and referred to the
          Committee on Children and Families

        AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to  implementing  a
          cost estimation model for child care

          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section 1. Section 410-x of the social  services  law  is  amended  by
     2  adding a new subdivision 5-a to read as follows:
     3    5-a.  (a)  For  each group for which the office of children and family
     4  services determines a separate payment rate pursuant to subdivision four
     5  of this section, and at the same frequency, such office shall utilize  a
     6  cost  estimation model to determine the actual cost providers incur when
     7  providing child care. The cost estimation model shall identify and  take
     8  into  account  cost drivers including but not limited to employee salary
     9  and benefits, enrollment levels,  facility  costs  and  compliance  with
    10  statutory and regulatory requirements.  Where a quality rating system or
    11  any  quality  indicators  are  being utilized, the cost estimation model
    12  shall also take into account the cost  of  providing  services  at  each
    13  level of quality.
    14    (b)  In  developing  such  model  the  office  of  children and family
    15  services shall consult with stakeholders including, but not limited  to,
    16  representatives of child care resource and referral agencies, child care
    17  providers  and  any  state  advisory  council established pursuant to 42
    18  U.S.C.S. § 9831 et. seq., as amended. The cost estimation model shall be
    19  statistically valid,  using  complete  and  current  data  and  rigorous
    20  collection methods.
    21    §  2. Section 410-z of the social services law, as added by section 52
    22  of part B of chapter 436 of the laws of 1997,  is  amended  to  read  as
    23  follows:

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD04515-01-3

        A. 1885                             2

     1    §  410-z.  Reporting  requirements.  1.  Each social services district
     2  shall collect and submit to the  [department]  office  of  children  and
     3  family  services,  in  such  form and at such times as  specified by the
     4  [department] office of children  and  family  services,  such  data  and
     5  information  regarding  child   care assistance provided under the block
     6  grant as the [department] office of children  and  family  services  may
     7  need to comply with federal reporting requirements.
     8    2.  The  office of children and family services shall prepare a report
     9  detailing the actual cost providers incur when providing child  care  in
    10  each  setting, as determined by the cost estimation model established in
    11  paragraph (a) of subdivision five of section four hundred ten-x of  this
    12  title.    The report shall detail cost data for each setting, age group,
    13  care provided to children with special needs, and any other grouping for
    14  which a separate cost estimation is conducted.  Such data shall include:
    15    (a) the level of quality care as determined by a quality rating system
    16  or any quality indicators utilized by the state;
    17    (b) a description of the major cost drivers for providing care; and
    18    (c) a comparison of the costs of child care for each grouping  to  the
    19  market  rate  determined  by  the office of children and family services
    20  pursuant to subdivision four of  section  four  hundred  ten-x  of  this
    21  title.
    22    The  report  shall  be  submitted  to the governor, the speaker of the
    23  assembly and the temporary president of the senate by  June  first,  two
    24  thousand  twenty-five.  The office of children and family services shall
    25  post the information contained in the report on its website.
    26    § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.