December 19, 2022 (New York, NY) – Today, Governor Kathy Hochul signed a bill increasing the accessibility of child care for families across New York State. The bill (A.7761/S.6665), which separates the work hour requirements for parents in order to qualify for state-subsidized child care.
“This is significant, because the previous threshold put undue hardship on many families. Signing this bill into law provides more flexibility for working families who need access to child care,” said Shoshana Hershkowitz, Citizen Action’s Statewide Organizer for Education and Childcare.
“We are grateful to Governor Hochul for signing this bill. Now, we hope she will consider another critical child care bill. Currently, when a parent or guardian goes through the extensive and time-consuming process of applying for the state child care subsidy, their child only qualifies for 12 months, meaning they have to go through the entire process again the next year. A.10209 / S.9029 would extend that period to 24 months, greatly reducing the burden on families, especially working families. We need the governor to sign it too.”
Citizen Action of New York is part of the Empire State Campaign for Childcare (ESCC), which has been advocating for the passage of both bills, for the benefit of children and families across New York State.
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