Bill Text: NY A02315 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Amended

New York Assembly Bill 2315 (Prior Session Legislation)

Bill Title: Relates to evaluation and assistance to increase access to child care.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-0)

Status: (Vetoed) 2019-12-13 - VETOED MEMO.225 [A02315 Detail]

Download: New_York-2019-A02315-Amended.html


                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                         2315--A
                                                                Cal. No. 164

                               2019-2020 Regular Sessions

                   IN ASSEMBLY

                                    January 22, 2019
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by  M. of A. SOLAGES, BARRON, VANEL, RAYNOR -- read once and
          referred to the Committee on Economic  Development  --  reported  from
          committee, advanced to a third reading, amended and ordered reprinted,
          retaining its place on the order of third reading

        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

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD04236-02-9

        A. 2315--A                          2

     1  include  cities,  municipalities,  block  numbering  areas,  and  census
     2  tracts.
     3    (b)  "child  care"  shall  mean  any licensed, registered or regulated
     4  child care program as defined by section three  hundred  ninety  of  the
     5  social services law.
     6    (3)  The corporation, in collaboration with the office of children and
     7  family services, the office of temporary and disability assistance,  and
     8  if  practicable, local social services districts, shall identify a total
     9  of five economically distressed areas throughout the state  to  evaluate
    10  child  care programs which are intended to serve the needs of low-income
    11  working families. In its evaluation, the corporation shall:
    12    (a) determine the availability and capacity  of  child  care  programs
    13  throughout  the state as well as the impact these businesses have on the
    14  economic development of the surrounding area;
    15    (b) determine the financial obligations related to child  care  facing
    16  working families;
    17    (c)  determine  the available financial resources for working families
    18  with children related to child care;
    19    (d) determine the economic impact of child care on employed persons or
    20  persons in an educational program;
    21    (e) determine the financial impact that lack of access to  child  care
    22  has  on  businesses  and  the  impact  that  it has on worker retention,
    23  productivity and other appropriate factors;
    24    (f) determine existing state resources available  for  businesses  and
    25  employed persons to assist with child care costs; and
    26    (g)  determine  what  incentives exist for businesses to provide child
    27  care opportunities to  their  employees  including  on-site  child  care
    28  programs.
    29    (4)  Upon  completion of the study as required by subdivision three of
    30  this section, the corporation, in collaboration with the office of chil-
    31  dren and family services, the office of temporary and disability assist-
    32  ance, and if practicable, local social services districts, shall identi-
    33  fy and develop a strategy for the expansion and creation of  child  care
    34  programs  in  the five economically distressed areas through the various
    35  programs of the corporation. To the  extent  possible,  the  corporation
    36  shall also determine ways to incentivize businesses to create and expand
    37  the availability of child care programs. The corporation shall determine
    38  a  strategy  to  include child care as a criteria component for existing
    39  and new economic development programs when feasible.
    40    § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.