COMPLIANCE CORNER
Florida Requires Heightened Screening for Access to Vulnerable Persons
On Wednesday, May 26, Florida Governor Charlie Crist signed House Bill 7069 and Senate Bill 150 into law. House Bill 7069 increases background screening requirements for individuals with access to vulnerable persons, such as children, seniors, and disabled persons. The law becomes effective August 1, 2010.
House Bill 7069 requires caregivers to be fingerprinted and undergo a criminal background check and prohibits applicants from working before their screening has been completed. The law also bans sex offenders and others with disqualifying criminal offenses from becoming caregivers.
Additionally, House Bill 7069 imposes more stringent requirements on volunteers, requiring those who work for more than 10 hours a month to undergo a criminal background check. Those who work less than 10 hours a month must undergo a criminal background check if they are not in the “line of sight” at all times of an individual who has met the criminal background screening requirements. Previously, the law only required screening if volunteers provided services for more than 40 hours per month.
Senate Bill 150 requires entities that hire youth sports coaches to screen them using state and federal sexual offender registries. Any person found in either registry is banned from coaching. The law becomes effective on July 1, 2010.
Specifically, Senate Bill 150 requires coaches be screened using both the Florida Department of Law Enforcement sexual offender and sexual predator database and the Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender registry maintained by the US Department of Justice. Each entity that hires a sports coach must sign an affidavit annually stating that they have complied with the law and appropriately screened coaches. Additionally, these entities must notify applicants in writing about their right to obtain a copy of the screening report.
Need help complying with Florida’s new laws? Our electronic fingerprinting solution simplifies the process so you get your results quickly. With web-based applicant registration, and nearly 50 electronic fingerprinting stations throughout Florida, submitting caregiver prints is easy. Our Volunteer Package bundles checks like a National Criminal Records Locator, a Social Security Number Trace and a National Sexual Offender Registry check that includes a search of the Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Registry as well as the Florida Department of Law Enforcement database. Call (866) 455-0779 or e-mail sales@verificationsinc.com for more information.
