Establishes the COVID-19 family relief act to provide financial assistance to low and middle income families for additional childcare expenses directly related to the schedule of the local school district as a result of COVID-19; provides for the repeal of such provisions upon the expiration thereof.
STATE OF NEW YORK
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8991
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 family relief act; 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 families during the COVID-19 pandemic.
3 As a direct result of the pandemic, school districts have developed
4 re-opening plans based on the resources and needs of the community. Some
5 districts are providing all remote instruction, some are offering a
6 combination of in-person instruction days and the remaining days of
7 on-line instruction, and still others are providing for a full day
8 in-person instruction. The intent of this act is to provide financial
9 assistance to low and middle income families for additional childcare
10 expenses directly related to the schedule of the local school district.
11 § 2. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 529-c to
12 read as follows:
13 § 529-c. COVID-19 family relief act. 1. Notwithstanding any incon-
14 sistent provision of law to the contrary, within amounts allocated to
15 the state of New York by the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and
16 Economic Security (CARES) Act of 2020 (P.L. 116-136) that have not
17 otherwise been obligated, the office of children and family services
18 shall make payment for child care services directly to child care
19 providers, as defined in section three hundred ninety of the social
20 services law, or as defined in section 20-800 of the administrative code
21 of the city of New York, if a child's attendance at such program is
22 directly related to the schedule of the local school district due to the
23 novel coronavirus disease pandemic (COVID-19).
24 2. Funds made pursuant to this section shall be equitably distributed
25 among all regions of the state and be prioritized based on a parent or
26 guardian's status as an essential employee and the ability of such
27 parent or guardian to pay for additional childcare services.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD17256-01-0
S. 8991 2
1 3. The office of children and family services shall create an applica-
2 tion process for such funding and shall promulgate rules and regulations
3 for awarding and distributing funding pursuant to this section.
4 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire October
5 1, 2021 when upon such date the provisions of this act shall be deemed
6 repealed.
