The National Child Protection Improvement Act

Providing churches direct access to FBI criminal records

Article summary. Congress enacted the National Child Protection Act and the Volunteers for Children Act to allow churches and other charities to obtain nationwide FBI criminal records checks on employees and volunteers who work with minors. Unfortunately, these laws do not allow churches direct access to FBI records. Instead, churches must process requests for criminal records checks through a "designated state agency." Most church leaders have no idea who the designated state agency is in their state, and so they do not pursue federal criminal records checks even for prospective workers who have lived in more than one state. The National Child Protection Improvement Act, introduced in the United States Senate by Senator Biden, would permit churches and other charities to obtain national criminal records checks directly, without ...