Assemblyman Andrew Molitor (R,C-Westfield) today expressed his disappointment after a motion to discharge a vital child care proposal was blocked by Assembly Majority lawmakers. The bill, which seeks to study and resolve the barriers to creating new child care providers, was a key step toward addressing the growing child care crisis in New York.

“New York should be leading the nation in access to child care, but instead, we continue to fall behind,” said Molitor. “Recent reports show that 64% of families in New York live in child care deserts; areas that lack enough licensed providers to meet the needs of families. This is a troubling reality, and yet, the motion to discharge this important legislation was blocked.”

The bill, which would authorize the Commissioner of the Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) to conduct a study on the barriers preventing the creation of child care providers, is designed to provide recommendations and proposals for expanding access to safe, affordable child care for families throughout New York.

“Families in New York are facing increasing waitlists and rising demand for services, but too few providers are available to help them,” Molitor continued. “This legislation would have been a meaningful first step in addressing the crisis, and I am disappointed that some of my colleagues chose not to support it.”

Molitor pointed out that while the national average for families living in child care deserts is 50%, New York’s statistic of 64% clearly shows the extent of the problem.

“Too many families are being forced to make difficult choices between work, family and the well-being of their children due to a lack of affordable child care options. We must do better to ensure that every New York family has access to safe, reliable care,” he said.

Molitor remains committed to addressing the state’s child care crisis and called on his colleagues to reconsider their stance on this critical issue. “This legislation is just one of many steps we need to take to improve the child care landscape in New York. I urge my fellow legislators to join me in working toward policies that reduce costs, increase access and make New York a more affordable place for families to build their futures.”