New York Senate Bill S00164

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/8/25
• Refer: 1/8/25
• Refer: 1/7/26

Caption

Creates the child care professionals loan forgiveness incentive program for applicants who agree to engage in employment in the child care field; establishes the eligibility for such awards; establishes the amount and duration of such awards.

Summary

This bill creates the New York State Child Care Professionals Loan Forgiveness Incentive Program. The program would authorize the president of the Higher Education Services Corporation to award student loan forgiveness to eligible New York residents who graduated from an approved or registered institution of higher education, have outstanding student loan debt, and have already completed 12 months of service as a child care professional in a licensed or registered child day care facility. Awards would be made competitively and are intended to increase the number of child care professionals working in New York State. The bill sets a maximum award of up to $25,000, paid in five annual installments of 20 percent each over five years, so long as the recipient remains eligible and is certified by the corporation. Funding is limited to amounts appropriated and available, and the award cannot exceed the total cost of completing the degree program, including tuition and required or reasonable fees. Recipients may also remain eligible for other awards under the education law.

Impact

The bill would amend Education Law section 605 by adding a new subdivision establishing a targeted loan forgiveness program for child care workers. It would create a new state-administered student debt relief benefit tied to employment in licensed or registered child care settings, affecting both recent graduates and current child care professionals with outstanding student loans. The measure would also place administrative responsibility on the Higher Education Services Corporation and make program participation contingent on annual appropriations and certification.

Sentiment

No committee transcript or vote record was provided, so there is no recorded debate or roll-call evidence of support or opposition in the supplied materials. Based on the bill text and caption, the measure appears to be framed as a workforce recruitment and retention incentive for a sector that often faces staffing shortages, suggesting a generally supportive policy rationale. The absence of recorded discussion means sentiment cannot be assessed beyond the bill’s apparent purpose.

Contention

The main potential points of contention are likely to be cost, eligibility limits, and program design. Because awards are capped by appropriations and limited to applicants who have already completed 12 months of service in the child care field, some may question whether the program is large enough to meaningfully address workforce shortages or whether the service requirement is too restrictive for new entrants. Others may focus on whether loan forgiveness is the best use of state funds compared with direct wage increases, subsidies, or broader child care system investments.