HB2521: SCH CD-CRIMINAL HISTORY CHECK

Legislative Summary

Amends the Interscholastic Athletic Organization Act. Provides that an association or other entity that has, as one of its purposes, promoting, sponsoring, regulating, or in any manner providing for interscholastic athletics or any form of athletic competition among schools and students within the State shall require applicants for licensure as an official to authorize a fingerprint-based criminal history records check to determine if such applicants have been convicted of any disqualifying, enumerated criminal or drug offenses or have been convicted, within 7 years of the application for employment with the school district, of any other felony under the laws of the State or of any offense committed or attempted in any other state or against the laws of the United States that, if committed or attempted in the State, would have been punishable as a felony under the laws of the State. Requires the Illinois State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation shall furnish, pursuant to a fingerprint-based criminal history records check, records of convictions, forever and hereafter, until expunged, to the executive director for the association or entity that requested the check. Provides that the association executive shall further perform a check of the Statewide Sex Offender Database and the Statewide Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Database for each applicant once every 5 years that an applicant remains licensed by the association. Provides that pending full clearance of all background check requirements, the prospective official must be supervised at all times by an individual who received a qualifying result on all background check components. Effective July 1, 2026.