File #: Int 0023-2026    Version: * Name: Background checks for child care providers, employees, and volunteers
Type: Introduction Status: Committee
Committee: Subcommittee on Early Childhood Education
On agenda: 1/29/2026
Enactment date: Law number:
Title: A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to background checks for child care providers, employees, and volunteers
Sponsors: Shaun Abreu, Althea V. Stevens
Council Member Sponsors: 2
Summary: This bill would require the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) to consult with the Department of Education (DOE) when completing background checks for current or prospective child care providers, employees, and volunteers. Upon receiving a request for a background check, DOHMH would be required to consult with DOE to determine whether DOE has already completed a background check for the individual within the previous two years. If so, DOHMH would be required to request any relevant information obtained through the DOE background check required to satisfy the requirements for a background check conducted by DOHMH. DOHMH would remain required to complete any additional searches and obtain any additional information for an individual needed to satisfy the requirements for the agency’s background checks pursuant to any federal or state laws, rules or regulations, before clearing an individual for work as a child care provider or employee.
Attachments: 1. Summary of Int. No. 23, 2. Int. No. 23

Int. No. 23

 

By Council Members Abreu and Stevens

 

A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to background checks for child care providers, employees, and volunteers

 

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

 

Section 1. Chapter 1 of title 17 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new section 17-199.21 to read as follows:

§ 17-199.21 Background checks for child care providers, employees, and volunteers. a. Upon receiving a request for a background check for a current or prospective child care provider, employee, or volunteer, the department shall consult with the department of education to determine whether the department of education has completed a background check for the individual within the previous 2 years. If the department of education has completed a background check for the individual within the previous 2 years, the department shall request from the department of education any relevant information obtained through the background check required to satisfy the requirements for a background check conducted by the department for child care providers, employees, or volunteers.

b. Notwithstanding the requirements of subdivision a of this section, the department shall complete any additional searches and obtain any additional information for an individual required to satisfy the background check requirements of any state or federal law, rule, or regulation before clearing an individual to work as a child care provider, employee, or volunteer.

§ 2. This local law takes effect 90 days after it becomes law.

 

 

JEF

LS #8624

Int. #0501-2024

1/5/2026 3:46 PM