Jaffee Named Chair of Assembly Standing Committee on Children and Families

PRESS RELEASE – Assemblymember Ellen Jaffee (D-Suffern) today announced her appointment as Chairperson of the Assembly Standing Committee on Children and Families.

“The issues children and families face, especially those children living in poverty, are community issues,” Jaffee said. “The childcare crisis in New York State is one of the major obstacles to self-sufficiency and financial security for New York’s low-income working families and, in particular, working women. Indeed, research clearly indicates quality early learning and development programs, like roads and bridges, are part of the infrastructure of economic development and a stable, thriving community. I am grateful to Speaker Heastie for giving me this opportunity and eager to work with him, my colleagues on the Committee and in the Assembly, as well as community leaders, to improve the lives of children and families across New York State.”

Speaker Carl Heastie said, “Assemblymember Ellen Jaffee has been a passionate and hardworking member of the Majority Conference for many years. I am confident that her tireless commitment to championing the needs of New York’s families will be a tremendous asset in our efforts to put families first in ours state.”

Jane Brown, Executive Director of Child Care Resources of Rockland said, “Assemblywoman Ellen Jaffee has a heart for children, their families and the teachers who care for and educate them. The child care advocates are thrilled to learn that Assemblywoman Jaffee will be leading the Assembly Standing Committee on Children and Families. She will be passionate, dedicated, thoughtful and completely intent on ensuring that the issues our children face will be addressed. Thank you to Assembly Speaker Heastie for recognizing that our own Rockland Assemblywoman Jaffee is the best selection for Chairperson of the Assembly Standing Committee on Children and Families.”

The Assembly Standing Committee on Children and Families was established in 1975 as the Committee on Child Care with jurisdiction over legislation affecting child welfare, including foster care, preventive services, and adoption; child care; juvenile justice, including youth development and delinquency prevention programs, Persons in Need of Supervision (PINS), and the detention and placement of adjudicated youth; adult protective services; residential and non-residential domestic violence services, and other services and programs for children and their families, including Family Court processes.