Bill Text: NY S05690 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Relates to evaluation and assistance to increase access to child care.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)
Status: (Vetoed) 2019-12-13 - VETOED MEMO.225 [S05690 Detail]
Download: New_York-2019-S05690-Introduced.html
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 Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Section 1 of chapter 174 of the laws of 1968, constituting 2 the New York state urban development corporation act, is amended by 3 adding a new section 54 to read as follows: 4 § 54. Evaluation and assistance to increase access to child care. (1) 5 The legislature hereby finds that access to quality child care is an 6 important element of the state's economy for working families, and that 7 child care providers comprise a large sector in New York state's econo- 8 my. The legislature further finds that the potential for future growth 9 in the state is often linked to the next generation's achievements. The 10 ability to obtain such achievements are strengthened by the availability 11 and adequacy of early childhood education. The legislature declares that 12 it is crucial for the governor and legislature to obtain reliable, 13 objective information about the economic benefits of investing in child 14 care programs, specifically in low-income neighborhoods with pervasive 15 poverty and high unemployment rates. 16 (2) For the purposes of this section: 17 (a) "economically distressed areas" shall mean areas as determined by 18 the corporation meeting criteria indicative of economic distress, 19 including high unemployment rate; high rate of employment change; 20 percentages and numbers of low-income persons; per capita income and per 21 capita real property wealth; and such other indicators of distress as 22 the corporation shall determine. Economically distressed areas may 23 include cities, municipalities, block numbering areas, and census 24 tracts. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD04236-03-9S. 5690 2 1 (b) "child care" shall mean any licensed, registered or regulated 2 child care program as defined by section three hundred ninety of the 3 social services law. 4 (3) The corporation, in collaboration with the office of children and 5 family services, the office of temporary and disability assistance, and 6 if practicable, local social services districts, shall identify a total 7 of five economically distressed areas throughout the state to evaluate 8 child care programs which are intended to serve the needs of low-income 9 working families. In its evaluation, the corporation shall: 10 (a) determine the availability and capacity of child care programs 11 throughout the state as well as the impact these businesses have on the 12 economic development of the surrounding area; 13 (b) determine the financial obligations related to child care facing 14 working families; 15 (c) determine the available financial resources for working families 16 with children related to child care; 17 (d) determine the economic impact of child care on employed persons or 18 persons in an educational program; 19 (e) determine the financial impact that lack of access to child care 20 has on businesses and the impact that it has on worker retention, 21 productivity and other appropriate factors; 22 (f) determine existing state resources available for businesses and 23 employed persons to assist with child care costs; and 24 (g) determine what incentives exist for businesses to provide child 25 care opportunities to their employees including on-site child care 26 programs. 27 (4) Upon completion of the study as required by subdivision three of 28 this section, the corporation, in collaboration with the office of chil- 29 dren and family services, the office of temporary and disability assist- 30 ance, and if practicable, local social services districts, shall identi- 31 fy and develop a strategy for the expansion and creation of child care 32 programs in the five economically distressed areas through the various 33 programs of the corporation. To the extent possible, the corporation 34 shall also determine ways to incentivize businesses to create and expand 35 the availability of child care programs. The corporation shall determine 36 a strategy to include child care as a criteria component for existing 37 and new economic development programs when feasible. 38 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.