PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- The day after an hours-long hearing on the pros and cons of expunging criminal records, the Rhode Island House approved legislation requiring criminal background checks for "current or prospective" volunteers at schools.
The bill passed unanimously after a debate in which Rep. Joseph Trillo questioned whether lawmakers were trying to "fix a problem that doesn't exist," and Rep. Teresa Tanzi said the requirement might discourage parent involvement.
But the sponsor, Rep. Joseph McNamara, a retired school administrator, convinced colleagues that the bill is aimed at protecting children from convicted child molesters, for example, and that parents are concerned about the people with whom their children may be left unattended.
State law already requires background checks for those seeking jobs employment with a public or private school. This legislation "simply expands the scope of that law to include others who will have direct and regular contact with young people," McNamara said.