Criminal Record Checks for Youth-Related Services (H 6154)

Although the imposition of expansive, mandatory background checks for employment is concerning in itself, even more concerning are those bills which attempt to implement background checks with a notably wide breadth and no meaningful restrictions. This legislation would have done so by requiring such checks for all employees in “any facility or business which teachers, gives lessons, classes, or training to children and youth.” Not only could this requirement have subjected individuals who have absolutely no interaction with youth to these checks, but the legislation contained no reference to the protections currently enshrined in state law which limit the use of criminal records in denying state licenses for justice-involved individuals seeking employment. We opposed the bill for these reasons and noted there is already extensive state law which governs criminal record checks for youth-related occupations. Positively, the bill died in committee.