Requires the office of children and family services implement a regional cost factor analysis for child care subsidies

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Andrea Bailey and 16 co-sponsors

Requires OCFS to run regional cost-factor analysis to set subsidies by region, aligning aid with local child care costs, benefiting families and providers and guiding budgeting.

REFERRED TO CHILDREN AND FAMILIES

Overview

Bill A 2373 would require the New York Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) to implement a regional cost factor analysis to determine child care subsidies. The goal is to ensure subsidy levels reflect regional variations in the cost of providing care, potentially improving the adequacy and equity of subsidies across different areas.

Purpose and Intent

Establish a methodology to analyze regional differences in child care costs.

Use the resulting regional cost factors to adjust subsidy amounts for families receiving subsidies.

Align subsidy levels with the actual cost of providing child care in diverse regions, aiming to reduce barriers to access caused by regional cost disparities.

Key Provisions (as described)

OCFS would develop and implement a regional cost factor analysis related to child care subsidies.

The analysis would be used to determine subsidy amounts that vary by region, rather than applying a uniform statewide subsidy rate.

The bill indicates a focus on making subsidies sensitive to regional cost variations, which could affect how much support families receive depending on where they live.

Specific statutory details (data sources, methodologies, update frequency, reporting requirements, and final subsidy calculation formulas) are not provided in the available summary; the full bill text would clarify these elements.

Who Is Affected

Families and individuals entitled to child care subsidies (potentially benefiting from more regionally appropriate subsidies).

Child care providers, who may be impacted by changing subsidy levels and billing practices.

The OCFS, which would be responsible for conducting the regional cost factor analysis, implementing changes, and monitoring compliance.

State and local governments, if subsidy allocations and budgeting are adjusted to reflect regional factors.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

Status: Referred to the Committee on Children and Families.

Introduced: January 16, 2025.

Legislative actions listed show the bill was referred to the same committee on January 16, 2025 (noted twice in the record).

Related Bill: A 9220 (prior session), indicating possible continuity of policy ideas across sessions.

Legislative Context

Primary Sponsor: Jerett Gandolfo. Numerous cosponsors listed, including Edward Ra, Jeff Gallahan, Chris Tague, and others, signaling broad organizational backing.

The exact text, including any reporting requirements to the legislature, timelines for implementation, cost estimates, and administrative rules, would be available in the bill’s full language and fiscal notes.

Potential Impacts and Considerations

Positive: Subsidies could better match regional costs, improving access to child care for families in higher-cost regions.

Administrative: OCFS would need data collection, methodology development, and potential updates to subsidy administration.

Fiscal: Possible changes in subsidy expenditures depending on regional adjustments; a detailed fiscal analysis would accompany the full bill text.

Bill