S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
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                                  3494--A
                                                         Cal. No. 271
 
                        2017-2018 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 27, 2017
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. SOLAGES, BARRON -- read once and referred to the
   Committee on Economic Development  --  ordered  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:
 
   Section  1. Section 1 of chapter 174 of the laws of 1968, constituting
 the New York state urban development  corporation  act,  is  amended  by
 adding a new section 53 to read as follows:
   § 53. 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
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD04670-02-8

 A. 3494--A                          2
 
 INCLUDE  CITIES,  MUNICIPALITIES,  BLOCK  NUMBERING  AREAS,  AND  CENSUS
 TRACTS.
   (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.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.