New York state is taking action to crack down on unsafe and illegal child-care services.

Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Tuesday issued new regulations giving the state more specific power to suspend or revoke the licenses of providers who violate health and safety standards. Those standards govern child-to-provider ratios and sanitary conditions and prohibit acts such as physical punishment.

The state already had the power to suspend or revoke licensees but the rules were deemed too vague.

The state will modify its existing registry of child-care providers to include inspection history and six years of past violations. In addition, Cuomo’s directive increases fines for providers found to have committed “serious” offenses involving problems such as fire, safety and health hazards.

(AP)