NJ School Volunteer Background Checks Bill Signed Into Law

Schools in Trenton, NJ are finally allowed to do background checks on volunteers thanks to a new law signed into effect on May 4^th. The law, dubbed the “School Volunteer Background Checks bill” will allow school boards, as an independent entity, to decide whether they want to check the criminal histories of their volunteers.

The background checks would cost tax payers $85 each, which is obviously a bargain for the piece of mind that comes with knowing that the volunteers at your child’s school don’t mean harm. As Sen. Nicholas Sacco, (D-Hudson) put it, “With all we hear in the news with child molesters and other others who mean harm toward children working in different child-serving groups, we can't be too careful when interviewing volunteers".

Some states have similar laws, allowing criminal background checks, or National Sex Offender database checks for volunteers, because we really can’t be too careful.