Today Assemblyman Brian Miller (R, C-New Hartford) joined his Minority colleagues in the Assembly to address child care in the state of New York. They said they hope to increase access to child care as well as reduce its cost for working parents with their proposed legislation.

The Assembly Minority Conference has proposed a comprehensive child care enhancement plan aimed at reducing child poverty rates and improving access to quality care. The plan includes increasing tax incentives for both providers and families, such as expanding tax credits and creating new funding streams for child care facilities. Additionally, the proposal seeks to expand early childhood education programs, increase accessibility by introducing flexible child care options, and address affordability concerns by examining regional cost factors and state barriers impacting child care availability. These measures aim to create a more robust and accessible child care system across the state.

Furthermore, the Assembly Minority plan advocates for increasing state reimbursements for Universal Prekindergarten (UPK) programs, streamlining the hiring process for qualified UPK teachers and ensuring consistency in regulations between school districts and child care agencies. The proposal also calls for collaborative efforts between school districts and child care agencies to improve UPK program quality and accessibility. Additionally, the plan seeks to tackle affordability issues by exploring innovative child care models, such as providing care during nights and weekends and implementing a regional cost factor for child care subsidies to address different cost of living expenses across the state. Through these initiatives, the Assembly Minority aims to enhance early childhood education opportunities and make child care more accessible and affordable for families in New York state.

“This child care plan is important for tackling child poverty, improving access to early childhood education and making child care more affordable and accessible for families across New York state. We must do more for our children’s care to ensure their success in the future,” said Assemblyman Miller.