Bill > A379

Introduced Session

This bill would require criminal history record background checks on persons who are applicants or who currently serve as volunteer sports officials for sports teams with members under 16 years of age at no cost to the volunteer sports official. Under this bill, volunteer sports officials include coaches, managers or officials of sports teams. Volunteer sports officials hold positions which place them in contact with minors. It is the sponsor's view that background screening is one approach to preventing abuse of minors by identifying persons with a history of crimes or offenses involving minors or other vulnerable persons. The background checks would be conducted by the Division of State Police. The cost of the background check shall be waived. The Department of Community Affairs would act as a clearinghouse for the collection and dissemination of information obtained as a result of the background check. Persons with criminal records would have the opportunity to demonstrate their rehabilitation and avoid disqualification.

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Edward Thomson (R)*, 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Law and Public Safety Committee (on 01/14/2020)