This bill mandates that nonpublic schools and education service providers accepting public funds must conduct criminal history background checks for all employees and volunteers. Specifically, it introduces new legal language requiring compliance with these background checks under RSA 189:13-a for any individual providing in-person instruction. The bill amends several sections of existing law, including RSA 21-N, RSA 77-G, and RSA 193-E, to incorporate these requirements, ensuring that educational entities are held to the same standards as public institutions regarding the safety of students.

Additionally, the bill clarifies that nonpublic schools or home education programs that accept scholarship students and comply with the new background check requirements will not be considered agents of the state or federal government. The effective date of the act is set for 60 days after its passage, and while the fiscal impact is noted as indeterminable, it is expected that the Department of Education may incur increased costs related to implementing these background checks. The Department of Safety anticipates a potential rise in requests for criminal history checks as a result of this legislation.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 77-G:7, 77-G:9, 193-E:2-a, 194-F:6