Assembly Bill A8114

                            
                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  8114

                       2015-2016 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                              June 9, 2015
                               ___________

Introduced  by M. of A. SOLAGES -- read once and referred to the Commit-
  tee on Economic Development

AN ACT to amend the 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:

  Section 1. Section 1 of chapter 174 of the laws of 1968,  constituting
the  urban  development  corporation  act,  is  amended  by adding a new
section 52 to read as follows:
  S 52. 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  ECONO-
MY.  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.
                                                           LBD11476-01-5

              

A. 8114                             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 CHIL-
DREN AND FAMILY SERVICES, THE OFFICE OF TEMPORARY AND DISABILITY ASSIST-
ANCE, AND IF PRACTICABLE, LOCAL SOCIAL SERVICES DISTRICTS, SHALL IDENTI-
FY 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.
  S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.