Establishes a loan forgiveness program for child care providers that have earned an undergraduate or graduate degree from a two or four year college or university in the state.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A9077
SPONSOR: Solages TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the education law, in relation to establishing a loan
forgiveness program for child care providers
PURPOSE:
To grant childcare providers loan forgiveness.
SUMMARY:
Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 679-k.
Section 2. Sets the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
Early childhood education is one of the most essential aspects of a
child's life, providing the foundation for intellectual and social
development. Childcare providers act as pillars to the early development
of children. However, many childcare providers are tasked with the
burden of paying back high student loans while struggling to earn a
living wage. 1 in 4 employed childcare workers in NYC live in poverty
(1). However, 1 in 5 childcare workers have student loan debt, according
to a Stanford University study (2). This ultimately leads to an unfortu-
nate imbalance that produces financial hardships for childcare providers
who act as caregivers for families and children. Establishing a forgive-
ness program would alleviate this hardship, promote economic growth, and
incentivise more people to enter the workforce and establish much needed
childcare centers all over New York.
RACIAL JUSTICE IMPACT:
TBD.
GENDER JUSTICE IMPACT: Childcare providers are overwhelmingly women,
with 93% of child care providers being women (3). This legislation would
alleviate financial burdens off of women who work as childcare providers
and incentivise more women to enter this workforce.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2021-22: A3655; referred to higher education.
2020: A10243; referred to higher education.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
TBD.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
(1) https://ccenevvyork.org/child-care-is-economic- security-for-nyc-fa-
milies/
(2)https://truthout.org/articles/many-child-care-workers- are-blocked-
from-student-loan-forgiveness/
(3) https://ccenewyork.org/child-care-is-economic-security- for-nyc-fa-
milies/
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
9077
IN ASSEMBLY
February 6, 2024
___________
Introduced by M. of A. SOLAGES -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Higher Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to establishing a loan
forgiveness program for child care providers
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 679-k
2 to read as follows:
3 § 679-k. The New York state child care provider loan forgiveness
4 program. 1. Purpose. The president shall grant student loan forgiveness
5 awards for the purpose of increasing the number of child care providers,
6 as defined in section six hundred ninety-five-b of the labor law, serv-
7 ing in the state. Such awards shall be made on a competitive basis, in
8 accordance with rules and regulations promulgated by the corporation for
9 such purposes, to applicants who meet the eligibility criteria.
10 2. Eligibility. To be eligible for an award pursuant to this subdivi-
11 sion, applicants shall:
12 (a) have graduated and obtained an undergraduate or graduate degree
13 from an accredited two or four-year college or university located in New
14 York state;
15 (b) have outstanding student loan debt from obtaining such degree;
16 (c) comply with subdivision five of section six hundred sixty-one of
17 this part; and
18 (d) be employed full time in this state as a child care provider.
19 3. Awards. Awards shall be granted to qualified applicants in the
20 amount of up to ten thousand dollars per year, per applicant, not to
21 exceed a duration of four years and not to exceed the total amount of
22 such applicant's student loan debt. The corporation shall grant such
23 awards within amounts appropriated for such purposes and based on the
24 availability of funds. No one applicant shall receive more than a total
25 of forty thousand dollars upon the end of a four-year period.
26 4. Rules and regulations. The corporation is authorized to promulgate
27 rules and regulations and may promulgate emergency regulations necessary
28 for the implementation of the provisions of this section.
29 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08148-01-3
