PRINTER'S NO. 226
No. 20 Session of 2001
INTRODUCED BY ORIE, CAPPABIANCA, DeWEESE, THOMAS, MELIO,
CORRIGAN, BARRAR, READSHAW, TRAVAGLIO, DALEY, SHANER, HERMAN,
LAUGHLIN, DeLUCA, ADOLPH, WILT, SOLOBAY, TIGUE, McILHATTAN,
WOJNAROSKI, STABACK, PISTELLA, GRUCELA, KELLER, E. Z. TAYLOR,
TULLI, S. MILLER, HARHAI, CURRY, McNAUGHTON, PETRARCA, COSTA,
M. COHEN, BEBKO-JONES, FREEMAN, HORSEY, FRANKEL, McCALL,
PRESTON AND CIVERA, JANUARY 29, 2001
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON RULES, JANUARY 29, 2001
A RESOLUTION
1 Creating a House select committee to study the necessity and
2 feasibility of requirements for juvenile athletic nonschool
3 groups to provide criminal background checks.
4 WHEREAS, Reports of adult sexual misconduct toward children
5 or youth have occurred during several recent nonschool athletic
6 competitions involving juvenile participants; and
7 WHEREAS, The conduct of programs, events and activities for
8 juvenile sports participants outside of the school system has
9 proliferated; and
10 WHEREAS, Parents and guardians entrust their children to the
11 supervision, management and control of the programs' sponsors,
12 operators, coaches, trainers, staff, managers and their
13 assistants; and
14 WHEREAS, The opportunity exists for adults serving in a
15 supervisory, management or controlling capacity of such a
16 program, event or activity to harm, endanger, abuse or exploit
1 the juvenile participants of the program or activity; and
2 WHEREAS, A standard of care for student welfare and safety
3 has already been applied to school personnel under section 111
4 of the Public School Code of 1949, which requires criminal
5 background checks for certain offenses of any prospective
6 employee who will come into contact with a child; and
7 WHEREAS, This standard might be similarly applied to adults
8 who offer nonschool juvenile athletic programs, events or
9 activities to the public within this Commonwealth; and
10 WHEREAS, Criminal background checks of adults operating,
11 managing or supervising nonschool juvenile athletic programs,
12 events or activities may be properly performed by the
13 Pennsylvania State Police or, in the case of out-of-State
14 residents, the Federal Bureau of Investigation; therefore be it
15 RESOLVED, That a select committee be created to make a study
16 of random nonschool organizations or groups which conduct a
17 juvenile sports event, activity or program within this
18 Commonwealth for the purposes of determining:
19 (1) The number of juvenile participants.
20 (2) The number of adult supervisors, managers, coaches,
21 trainers or their assistants who come into any contact with
22 juvenile participants at an event.
23 (3) A list of the events and their duration conducted
24 throughout the calendar year.
25 (4) Any formal, written policy of the operators of an
26 event, activity or program to evaluate current or prospective
27 employees' background for criminal behavior.
28 (5) The formal, written policy to be followed by the
29 operators of an event, activity or program whenever a
30 complaint of mistreatment, injury or abuse is made by a
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1 juvenile participant or parent or guardian;
2 and be it further
3 RESOLVED, That the select committee be composed of seven
4 members, four of whom shall be members of the majority party
5 appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and
6 three of whom shall be members of the minority party appointed
7 by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, from
8 among the members of the House of Representatives; and be it
9 further
10 RESOLVED, That the ordinary and reasonable expenses incurred
11 by the select committee be paid from accounts under the control
12 of the Chief Clerk; and be it further
13 RESOLVED, That the select committee conduct its study and
14 make a report to the House of Representatives, including its
15 findings and any recommendations for legislative or regulatory
16 action, not later than August 31, 2001.
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