Advocates and lawmakers are pressing Governor Kathy Hochul to sign three bipartisan bills aimed at modernizing New York’s child care assistance system. The proposed legislation seeks to address outdated rules that hinder parents’ access to affordable child care, particularly for those working multiple jobs or non-traditional hours.
One bill would eliminate minimum earning requirements for parents to qualify for assistance, a measure aimed at helping gig economy workers and small business owners. Another would decouple child care aid from parents’ work hours, allowing flexibility for part-time or irregular shifts. The third bill proposes provisional eligibility for child care assistance during the application process.
Lawmakers stress that if the governor does not sign the bills, they will push for the reforms in next year’s budget.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to [email protected].