Implements automatic market rate increases for child care assistance

Added requirement for the Office of Children and Family Services to use a cost estimation model to determine actual provider costs, including employee salaries, benefits, facility costs, and quality-related expenses.

Added requirement for the cost estimation model to be statistically valid using complete and current data with rigorous collection methods.

Added requirement for the Office of Children and Family Services to consult with stakeholders including child care resource and referral agencies, providers, and state advisory councils when developing the cost estimation model.

Added new subdivision 5-a to section 410-x of the social services law establishing the cost estimation model requirement.

Added sponsor McDONALD to the list of bill sponsors and updated committee referral history to include additional committee actions.

Modified payment rate language to clarify that rates shall be equal to the payment rate established by the department, with bracketed text indicating old law to be omitted.

Child care assistance payment rates are now based on actual market rates determined through surveys or approved alternative methodologies instead of a fixed formula.

The department must conduct market-rate surveys or use approved alternative methodologies to establish payment rates that ensure equal access to comparable child care assistance.

The definition of payment rates was updated to clarify that they should be the actual cost of care but no more than the applicable market-related rate.

Removed language limiting child care payments to 'no more than' the market rate, allowing payments to equal the full applicable market rate without an explicit cap.

Adjusted phrasing to clarify that payment rates must ensure equal access for eligible children to comparable care provided to non-eligible children.

Minor formatting and bracket adjustments to align with legislative markup conventions for new versus existing language.