ALBANY – State Senator Rob Rolison (R, Poughkeepsie) Tuesday announced a package of three bills (S.8964, S.8984, S.7204) he has introduced in the state legislature’s upper chamber to expand choices for families and reduce unnecessary regulations on providers in the Hudson Valley and across New York. Rolison has served as the Ranking Member on the Senate’s Children and Families Committee since 2023. One of these measures, S.7204, advanced out of the committee today.
“Childcare costs are rising for working parents across New York, with no end in sight. When it is not making the issue worse, Albany has failed utterly to address the childcare crisis in our state,” said Rolison.
“My plan delivers in a number of ways. First, it offers choice and flexibility to hybrid workers and nontraditional employees who may be working the night shift by directing the Office of Children and Family Services to create a nontraditional-hours model so providers can expand their services. Next, the plan supports tax credits for facility improvements and upgrades, easing the regulatory and financial burdens on daycare centers and other providers to create a safe and healthy environment for our kids. Third, it uses a common-sense approach to help parents find affordable childcare closer to home by establishing a Consumer Directed Childcare Pilot Program.”
New York currently has 1,326 fewer childcare providers than it did four years ago. The nonprofit Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress released a February report which found that the number of licensed providers in the Hudson Valley decreased by approximately 27% since 2007. At an average of $15,934 annually, the Empire State is the sixth-most expensive for infant care in the US.
