Here's why you should do this:

In the final days of the 2024 legislative session, the Legislature passed three important bills that will make child care easier to access for thousands of families across New York State. Governor Hochul must sign these bills immediately, so that families can get the care they need for their children.

A.8878/S.8152, known as decoupling, would make it easier for working parents, including those in the gig economy or sectors like retail with fluctuating schedules, to access child care by decoupling child care assistance coverage hours from a parent's work hours.

A.4099-A/S.4667-A, known as presumptive eligibility, would allow families quick access to child care assistance while waiting for application processing to be completed, so parents do not lose job opportunities and children experience more continuity of care.

A.1303-A/S.4924-A, known as ending the minimum earnings requirement, will end New York’s deeply unfair practice of denying child care assistance to parents whose earnings are on average less than minimum wage, denying assistance to many parents who are small business owners barely paying themselves, and parents hustling in the gig economy who do not always bring in earnings that average out to minimum wage.

All three of these bills passed both chambers with overwhelming bipartisan support. The governor must act now, and sign these bills. Families cannot afford to wait to have these barriers to child care assistance removed.