Background Check Clarifications Now Law

From PA Representative David Millard

Clarifications to the state’s new law regarding background clearances for employees and volunteers who have direct and routine contact with children are now law. House Bill 1276 was recently signed into law, bringing more clarity to Act 153 of 2014, which requires additional and periodic background checks for both employees and volunteers who are directly involved with children. The changes take effect immediately.

Under the new law, volunteers must obtain the clearances if they have direct volunteer contact, meaning that they have care, supervision, guidance or control and routine interaction with children. Also, all employees and adult volunteers subject to the background check clearances will be required to recertify all of those clearances every five years, instead of every three years. The measure also makes a number of clarifications with respect to the cost, portability and recertification of the two main clearances – the Department of Human Services child abuse clearance and the state police criminal background check. The two $10 fees are waived for volunteers and are reduced to $8 each for employees.

More information about Act 153 and the other new laws resulting from the child protection package are available at http://KeepKidsSafe.pa.gov