Senator Schumer introduces background check legislation

POLICY and ADVOCACY ALERT

7/26/13 Child Protection Improvements and Electronic Life and Safety Security Systems Act On Wednesday, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer unveiled legislation to close a gaping hole in the federal law that prevents summer camps, children’s groups and other not-for-profit organizations that work with children from gaining access to federal criminal background checks on new employees and volunteers. Under current law, most children’s organizations only have access to the New York State database, and lack access to FBI databases, which are widely considered the most accurate and complete criminal databases. New York State’s criminal database – which is the only resource most local groups have access to – lack records of criminal activity committed out of state, when the offense is not federal. As of 2010, over 40% of the individuals with criminal records had committed an offense in a state other than where they were applying to volunteer, meaning that a state-only search would not have found relevant criminal records. Schumer’s legislation would grant youth-serving organizations access to FBI background checks for volunteers and new employees, so they would be able to check for any violent or sex crime committed anywhere in the country, regardless of where it is committed and whether it is a state or federal crime. The bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on the Judiciary. It has not yet been introduced in the House of Representatives but will be sponsored by Rep. Adam Schiff (CA-29) and Rep. Mike Rogers (MI-8). The bi-partisan legislation has already been endorsed by a variety of groups including the American Camp Association, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and YMCA of the USA. Stay tuned for more updates. Sincerely, Jessica Jessica Klos Shapiro Senior Policy Associate (518) 690-4217 ex. 32