SB572

Senate Bill 572 amends Arkansas law regarding background checks and misconduct investigations for public school employees and volunteers. It requires individuals applying to be registered volunteers—specifically those pursuing coaching certification or working with students in an athletic capacity—to undergo state and nationwide criminal record checks, including fingerprinting. It mandates that school district boards require a Child Maltreatment Central Registry check for all nonlicensed personnel and applicable registered volunteers. The bill clarifies that superintendents shall not provide favorable employment recommendations for employees if there is probable cause of sexual misconduct with a minor. It also outlines procedures for information sharing between the State Police, the Department of Human Services, and the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education. Finally, the bill specifies confidentiality rules regarding background check information and identifies which offenses disqualify an individual from employment or volunteer service in these school-related roles.