Assemblyman Robert Smullen (R,C-Mohawk Valley and the Adirondacks) was proud to support the efforts of Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay (R,C-Pulaski), Assemblyman Ed Ra (R-Franklin Square), Assemblyman Matt Slater (R,C-Yorktown), Assemblyman Josh Jensen (R,C-Greece), Assemblyman Brian Maher (R,C-Walden), Assemblyman Jarett Gandolfo (R,C-Sayville) and other Assembly Minority Conference members who presented a comprehensive proposal to improve New York state’s child care system. This proposal included three significant parts:

1. Providing increased tax incentives to both providers and families;
2. Expanding access to early childhood education; and
3. Increasing accessibility and affordability with regard to child care.

“To help improve child care access and affordability in our state, it’s very important we properly invest in our child care system to reduce child poverty and provide support for struggling families who only want the best for their children,” said Smullen. “I am proud to be a co-sponsor of multiple bills the Assembly Minority Conference is proposing to help not only invest $1 billion in New York state’s child care system but also identify how to correct deep-rooted child care accessibility and affordability issues that have persisted for years in our state.”

The bills Smullen has co-sponsored include:

1. Increasing the state allowance of qualified expenses by 15% for the Child and Dependent Care Credit (A.9242, Ra);
2. Increasing the state Earned Income Tax Credit amount from 30% to 45% (A.9258, Ra);
3. Increasing the Empire State child credit amount to 45% of the federal Child Tax Credit amount (A.9257, Ra);
4. Doubling the existing Child Care Creation and Expansion Tax Credit amount from $25 million per year to $50 million per year (A.9245, Ra); and
5. Creating a new Child Care Facility Capital Improvement Tax Credit to help child care providers enhance and update facilities (A.9245, Ra).

“As a father, I only want the best for my children, and that is why it’s very important to me that children from any background receive a quality early childhood education. I intend to help make the necessary improvements to our child care system to reach that goal,” concluded Smullen.