Senate Bill S1147

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S1147

SPONSOR: CARLUCCI
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to direct the office of children and family services to examine,
evaluate and make recommendations on the availability of day care for
children; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expira-
tion thereof

 
PURPOSE:

The purpose of this bill is to have the Office of Children and Family
Services (OCFS) examine, evaluate and make recommendations concerning
the availability of day care for children in this State. OCFS shall
review with particular care on the impact of the lack of access to
necessary day care services on the ability of women in or near poverty
to enter into the workforce.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

              

Section 1: Adds a new section to direct the Office of Children and Fami-
ly Services to conduct a study that includes an evaluation and recommen-
dations for the availability of child care services in New York State.
OCFS shall review the impact of the lack of childcare upon women in
poverty trying to enter the workforce.

Specifically, this section directs OCFS, when conducting this study, to:

*Establish an inventory of child daycare for working families and those
in or near poverty;

*Identify geographic shortage areas, taking in to account provider wait-
ing lists, and calculate projections of daycare needs based on regional
birth rates, employment rates and population growth;

*Compare, on a statewide and regional basis, the current demand for
daycare as well as its need over the next five years, analyzing whether
the current projected growth rate of providers is sufficient to meet the
need;

*Assess the cost of daycare to parents and guardians on a regional
basis;

*Identify childcare access needs statewide and regionally for parents
working nontraditional hours, such as night and swing shifts;

*Identify policies that would increase the number and capacity of child-
care providers;

*Identify policies that would increase the number of childcare providers
in neighborhoods and communities where low-income families live or work;
and

*Identify and quantify factors that contribute to a quality day care and
are used to identify violations by day care providers, and procedures
for establishing quality child care in those communities with the great-
est need.

Section 2: Authorizes OCFS to request and receive any additional infor-
mation from any state agency it deems relevant and material to the
study.

Section 3: Directs the Commissioner to submit a report to the Governor
and Legislature, within one year of this act becoming law, on the
study's findings, conclusions and recommendations. The Commissioner
shall also submit proposed legislation to implement the recommendations.
The report is to be made publicly available on the OCFS website.

Section 4: Provides the effective date and repeal of such act after the
report required under this act had been completed and filed.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Lack of access to affordable, quality childcare is a major impediment
for women who would like to enter and stay in the workforce.  According
to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are approximately 4.3 million working
women in New York State. Of those, 1.2 million are working mothers.
However, there have only been about 19,000 licensed providers across the
state over the last decade, according to the Office of Children and
Family Services. Parents, who are unable to afford licensed day care
providers or programs, are sometimes forced to choose between placing
their children with less reliable options or leaving them home alone.
Some parents are forced to reduce work hours or quit jobs altogether to
remain home and care for their children.

This study is an important step in quantifying the existing need in New
York State by region. It not only looks at the number of providers, but
also the cost, quality, transportation barriers in getting to and from
work, home and the provider, and the hours served. Only about 1,600 day
care centers provide overnight and other nontraditional hours of care.
The latter are especially important to working mothers, as they often
need to work such shifts to provide for their families. These women
desperately need child care assistance, as they make up a majority of
families in poverty.

Of all the economic empowerment building blocks for women, increasing
the availability of quality affordable child care is one of the most
vital. According to the Capital District Educational Opportunity Center,
lack of affordable child care is the number one reason why women are not
able to choose a different career path that can include or lead to high-
er paying careers in industries such as the building trades and other
expanding industries.

This legislation is fundamentally needed for the economic security and
empowerment of working women and low-income families.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2017-18: S4612 - PASSED SENATE/died in assembly

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately, and shall expire and be deemed
repealed one year after it shall take effect.