Important Notice on Background Checks for Little Leagues
All Volunteers and Coaches are required to do background checks
Little League International has contracted with JDP to provide local leagues with a special Internet site that allows members to search a criminal records database of more than 450 million criminal records – instantly.
The JDP National Criminal File Database contains more than 450 million records which include criminal records and sex offender registry records across 50 states and the District of Columbia. The JDP National Criminal File also contains government databases such and Office or Foreign Asset Control and other Federal databases.
Click here to see a list of the states covered.
Effective in 2017, the local league must conduct a nationwide background check that accesses background checks records for sex offender registry data and other criminal records. A check conducted only in one state does not meet the minimum requirements of the regulations.
Note: A letter, which includes a copy of the completed background screening report & Summary of Rights, will be sent to every volunteer where a criminal record from the public records database is reported to your local Little League. According to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), you must obtain authorization from the applicant before performing a background check. Failure to comply with FCRA requirements imposes civil liability.
CHAPTER 2.7. Community Youth Athletic Programs [18900- 18900.] ( Chapter 2.7 added by Stats. 2014, Ch. 151, Sec. 1. )
18900.
(a) (1) Commencing January 1, 2016, a community youth athletic program shall provide written notice to the parent or guardian of any youth participating in the program regarding the program’s policies relating to whether the program obtains criminal background checks for hired or volunteer coaches or both.(2) If criminal background checks are obtained for hired or volunteer coaches, the written notice shall also contain both of the following:(A) A statement regarding whether the criminal background check includes state and federal criminal history information and whether the program obtains subsequent arrest notification for those individuals.(B) Contact information regarding where the parent or guardian of a child participating in a community youth athletic program can obtain additional information about the program’s background check policy, such as the entity providing the criminal background check obtained by the community youth athletic program or the nature of the type of offenses the program looks for.(b) As used in this section, a “community youth athletic program” means an organization that meets both of the following requirements:(1) Its primary purpose is the promotion or provision of athletic activities for youth under 18 years of age.(2) It has adult employees who have supervisory or disciplinary power over a child or children.(c) As used in this section, “written notice” may include posting on the community youth athletic program’s Internet Web site.(d) Nothing in subdivision (a) shall require or authorize a community youth athletic program to disclose confidential criminal history information in violation of Article 3 (commencing with Section 11100) of Chapter 1 of Title 1 of Part 4 of the Penal Code.(Added by Stats. 2014, Ch. 151, Sec. 1. (AB 230) Effective January 1, 2015.)