Standardizes child care copayments by instructing local social services districts to not require a family receiving child care assistance to contribute more than 20% of the amount of their income exceeding the poverty level.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A6174B
SPONSOR: Russell TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the social services law, in relation
to standardizing child care copayments
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To create equal access to child care assistance throughout the state by
standardizing the amount of the family share.
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section one requires that local social services districts charge a
co-payment of no greater than 20% of the difference in the family's
income and the poverty level.
Section two sets an April 1, 2017 effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
Families receiving child care subsidies must contribute to the cost of
childcare, calculated as a percentage of the family's income above the
Federal poverty level. This percentage varies from 10% in some counties
to 35% in others, and creates a barrier to accessing childcare for fami-
lies that live in counties charging the higher end of the scale. To put
this in perspective, in 2013, a family of three who earns $39,060 annu-
ally (200% of the Federal Poverty level) can pay anywhere between $1,953
(10% copayment) to $6,835.50 (35% copayment) per year. Currently, there
are at least 25 counties that employ the 35% multiplier when calculating
a family's copayment. The cost-sharing requirement can be the deciding
factor for whether a family will be able to afford child care, even when
provided a subsidy. Such inequities create an unfair burden and prevent
access to child care assistance for low-income families.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2014 - passed the Assembly.
2015 - passed the Assembly
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
April 1, 2017.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
6174--B
Cal. No. 235
2015-2016 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
March 16, 2015
___________
Introduced by M. of A. RUSSELL, WALKER -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Social Services -- committee discharged, bill amended,
ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee --
advanced to a third reading, amended and ordered reprinted, retaining
its place on the order of third reading
AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to standardizing
child care copayments
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Subdivision 6 of section 410-x of the social services law,
2 as added by section 52 of part B of chapter 436 of the laws of 1997, is
3 amended to read as follows:
4 6. Pursuant to department regulations, child care assistance shall be
5 provided on a sliding fee basis based upon the family's ability to pay.
6 The local social services district shall not require a family receiving
7 child care assistance pursuant to this title to contribute more than
8 twenty percent of the amount of their income exceeding the poverty
9 level.
10 § 2. This act shall take effect April 1, 2017.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08787-03-6
