ALTON –To help protect student athletes in Illinois, state Rep. Dan Beiser, D-Alton, refiled legislation to require background checks if a person wants to be a certified or licensed official for sports under the Illinois High School Association, or IHSA.
“Right now, the IHSA doesn’t require any background check for the officials they oversee, which can allow someone with a criminal background to be around children,” Beiser said. “This is a loophole that could allow someone with criminal history or a sex offender to be in close proximity to children, which is unacceptable.”
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Beiser’s proposed legislation, House Bill 256, would be a more proactive approach than the IHSA’s current system would require offenders to disclose themselves, and require an actual background check for any official through IHSA. The cost of these checks would be the applicant’s responsibility and not passed on to any school.
“The legislation will have anyone applying to officiate under IHSA submit their normal identification items, as well as their fingerprints to the Illinois State Police to run through the state and FBI criminal database,” Beiser said. “It’s my hope that through legislation like this, we can provide stronger protections for our students in Illinois.”
For more on upcoming legislation, please contact Beiser’s full-time constituent service office at 618-465-5900.
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