Establishes the COVID-19 childcare provider reimbursement program in order to incentivize providers to re-open or expand current childcare programs; provides for the repeal of such provisions upon the expiration thereof.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
8990
IN SENATE
September 18, 2020
___________
Introduced by Sen. SERINO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to establishing the
COVID-19 childcare provider reimbursement program; and providing for
the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Statement of legislative intent. The legislature recognizes
2 the financial hardship placed on childcare providers during the COVID-19
3 pandemic. As the state re-opens, childcare providers offer necessary
4 essential services to parents and guardians. The intent of this act is
5 to provide an incentive to childcare providers to either expand current
6 programs or re-open programs to help meet the growing need of childcare
7 services within the state that have developed as a direct result of the
8 pandemic.
9 § 2. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 530-a to
10 read as follows:
11 § 530-a. Childcare provider COVID-19 reimbursement program. 1.
12 Notwithstanding any inconsistent provision of law to the contrary, with-
13 in amounts allocated to the state of New York by the federal Coronavirus
14 Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act of 2020 (P.L. 116-136)
15 that have not otherwise been obligated, the office of children and fami-
16 ly services shall make reimbursement available pursuant to this section,
17 to childcare providers, as defined in section three hundred ninety of
18 the social services law, or as defined in section 20-800 of the adminis-
19 trative code of the city of New York in order to incentivize providers
20 to re-open or expand current programs.
21 2. Reimbursement shall be provided for costs related to the expansion
22 or re-opening of a program. Costs shall include, but not be limited to,
23 costs related to recruiting, retention and training of staff, facility
24 expenses, salary expenses and costs related to maintaining the health
25 and safety of such programs. Funding priority shall be given to programs
26 that expand services or re-open to serve school-aged children.
27 Reimbursements made pursuant to this section shall be equitably distrib-
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD17255-01-0
S. 8990 2
1 uted among all regions of the state. Payment of reimbursement shall be
2 provided within thirty business days of receipt of such request or
3 application.
4 3. The office of children and family services shall create an applica-
5 tion process for such reimbursement and shall promulgate rules and regu-
6 lations for distributing funding pursuant to this section.
7 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire October
8 1, 2021 when upon such date the provisions of this act shall be deemed
9 repealed.
