PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- The House of Representatives Thursday approved legislation that will require volunteers of a school department who have contact with students on school premises to undergo a state criminal background check.
Sponsored by Rep. Joseph M. McNamara, D-Warwick, the bill now goes to the Senate. The bill is aimed at improving the safety of students by extending the requirement for a background check to volunteers.
State law already requires background checks for individuals seeking employment with a private school or public school department.
"As programs that rely on or use volunteers grow ... adding this language to law is the safe and responsible thing to do," McNamara said. "We don't want to stand in the way of volunteerism in schools but we want to put student safety first."