Child Care Bill Vetoes Show Governor’s Words Are Empty

NEW YORK, N.Y. (December 16, 2024) - In response to Governor Hochul's blatant disregard for the needs of New York's working families by vetoing the Decoupling and Ending the Minimum Earnings Requirement bills, public education advocacy organization the Alliance for Quality Education released the following statement:

"Governor Hochul clearly showed that she is no child care governor to New York's working families yet again by vetoing the Decoupling bill (A.8878/S.8152), denying stability and consistent child care to families with unpredictable work schedules. Just the day before vetoing the Decoupling bill, she vetoed the Minimum Earnings Requirement bill (A.1303-A/S.4924-A), which would have eliminated income barriers and opened access to child care assistance for the state's most vulnerable families. In two short days, the Governor has cemented her legacy in no uncertain terms: child care is not a priority, just a talking point.

"The Decoupling bill would have guaranteed children reliable care, no matter their parents' fluctuating work hours in industries like retail, hospitality, or any range of gig work. By rejecting it, Governor Hochul has chosen to uphold an outdated system that does not recognize the different types of jobs available to working people and punishes them by withholding child care assistance. Similarly, her veto of the Minimum Earnings Requirement bill leaves the most marginalized families across the state locked out of life-changing child care assistance. Governor Hochul has utterly failed to grasp that child care isn't just about convenience, it's about safety and the healthy development of our children. Such investments would have guaranteed safe, secure care for children up to age 13, ensuring that all children - regardless of age - have a stable, supportive environment during the critical after-school hours. These vetoes are not just policy failures, they are direct attacks on Black, brown, immigrant, and low-income communities. The child care assistance promised by these bills offered pathways out of cycles of poverty, a chance to improve livelihoods, and the foundation for brighter futures for generations to come.

"Last week, Governor Hochul signed a somewhat watered-down version of the Presumptive Eligibility bill. While far from transformational, even this modest step forward was made possible only by the relentless advocacy of communities across the state and the unwavering commitment of strong leaders in the Legislature.

"Governor Hochul has had every opportunity to lead boldly. By signing all three bills, as passed with overwhelming numbers by both chambers, she could have dismantled barriers and moved New York closer to universal, equitable child care. Instead, she is using the same tired excuses about fiscal constraints, leaving working families to fend for themselves. The Governor's repeated claims of understanding the struggles of working families as a mother and grandmother ring hollow. Her actions reveal a leader unwilling to fight for the very people she claims to represent. Let's all remember how easy it was for the governor to find billions for sports teams owned by billionaires. The priorities of this administration are becoming clearer with every action.

"New Yorkers deserve better. Families deserve stable, affordable child care, and children deserve every opportunity to thrive. Governor Hochul has failed us, but we will not fail our communities. The fight for transformative, equitable child care is far from over - we will continue this work until every family has the care, stability, and support they need," said Marina Marcou-O'Malley and Zakiyah Shaakir-Ansari, Co-Executive Directors, Alliance for Quality Education.