Dush Confirms Revised Child Protection Laws Now in Full Effect
BROOKVILLE – A new state law supported by state Rep. Cris Dush (R-Jefferson/Indiana) waives the two $10 background check fees for volunteers and reduces the fee for employees in Pennsylvania who have direct and routine contact with children.
“Many volunteers and employers continue to contact my offices with questions about whether or not their organizations must obtain the clearances and have also expressed concerns about the overall cost,” said Dush. “The good news is that this newly clarified law, which went into full effect on July 25, more clearly outlines who needs to be checked in the first place and waives the two state fees for volunteers.”
Pennsylvania updated its child protection laws in 2014. The changes require volunteers and employees who interact with children to acquire a child abuse clearance from the Department of Human Services and a criminal history background clearance from the Pennsylvania State Police. Employees and volunteers who resided in Pennsylvania for fewer than 10 years may also need to obtain an FBI background check.
The new law waives the fees for these state background checks for volunteers, and they cannot be used to also obtain a job. Employees who work with children will see the fees for these state clearances reduced from $10 to $8 each.
“Again, the intent of these changes is to more clearly define who is and who is not subject to the background check requirements, and wherever possible, to make the requirements less burdensome and more cost-efficient for adult volunteers and employees who work with children,” said Dush. “The objective has always been to strike the proper balance between protecting children and not making the requirements so onerous that the result is losing both volunteers and consequently programs beneficial to our children.”
The new law also changes the length of time the clearances will last. Prior to the change, employees and volunteers had to seek new clearances every three years. The new law extends the life of the clearances to five years.
The new law, Act 15, also extended the deadline for new volunteers to obtain their clearances from July 1 to Aug. 25. Existing volunteers still have until July 1, 2016, to obtain their clearances.
More information is available at
RepDush.com and
KeepKidsSafe.pa.gov.
Representative Cris Dush
66th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Contact: 814.849.8008
RepDush.com /
Facebook.com/RepDush