Assembly Bill A2373

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   2373
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 16, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  GANDOLFO,  DURSO,  GALLAHAN, JENSEN, HAWLEY,
   SLATER, K. BROWN, DeSTEFANO, TAGUE, RA, DiPIETRO, BROOK-KRASNY, BRABE-
   NEC, SMITH, MILLER -- read once and referred to the Committee on Chil-
   dren and Families
 
 AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation  to  requiring  the
   office  of  children  and  family  services  implement a regional cost
   factor analysis for child care subsidies
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1. Subdivision 2 of section 410-x of the social services law,
 is amended by adding a new paragraph (b) to read as follows:
   (B) (I) THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES SHALL  COMPLETE  AN
 ANALYSIS  TO  DETERMINE  REGIONAL  COST  FACTORS FOR CHILD CARE SERVICES
 PROVIDED BY LICENSED, REGISTERED AND ENROLLED CHILD CARE PROVIDERS. SUCH
 REGIONAL COST FACTORS SHALL TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE DIFFERENCES  IN  CHILD
 CARE  COSTS  AND COSTS OF LIVING IN A REGIONAL AND LOCAL SOCIAL SERVICES
 DISTRICT. THE OFFICE SHALL  CREATE  THE  REGIONAL  COST  FACTORS  TO  BE
 APPLIED  USING  THE  REGIONS AS DEFINED BY SECTION TWO HUNDRED THIRTY OF
 THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT LAW. THE REGIONAL COST FACTORS  SHALL,  INCLUDE
 BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO, THE FOLLOWING:
   (1) THE COUNTY CLUSTER THAT A LOCAL SOCIAL SERVICES DISTRICT IS A PART
 OF AS DEFINED BY THE MOST RECENT MARKET RATE SURVEY;
   (2)  THE  MARKET  RATE COSTS AS DEFINED BY THE MOST RECENT MARKET RATE
 SURVEY FOR EACH LOCAL SOCIAL SERVICES DISTRICT;
   (3) THE NUMBER OF PROVIDERS PER LOCAL SOCIAL SERVICES DISTRICT;
   (4) THE AVERAGE MEDIAN INCOME OF EACH LOCAL SOCIAL SERVICES DISTRICT;
   (5) THE MINIMUM WAGE  RATE  OF  EACH  COUNTY  WITHIN  A  LOCAL  SOCIAL
 SERVICES DISTRICT; AND
   (6) THE POVERTY RATE OF EACH LOCAL SOCIAL SERVICES DISTRICT.

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD04599-01-5
 A. 2373                             2
 
              

   (II)  LOCAL  SOCIAL  SERVICES DISTRICTS SHALL BE REQUIRED TO IMPLEMENT
 SUCH REGIONAL COST FACTORS FOR CHILD CARE SERVICES TO  INCENTIVIZE  SUCH
 OPERATION OF CHILD CARE PROVIDERS OR CHILD CARE CENTERS.
   (III)  THE  OFFICE  SHALL  COMPLETE SUCH ANALYSIS OF THE REGIONAL COST
 FACTORS AND PRODUCE WHAT COST FACTORS FOR EACH REGION WOULD BE  FOR  THE
 FOLLOWING YEAR, NOT LATER THAN ONE YEAR AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS
 PARAGRAPH.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.