SENATE DOCKET, NO. 3083        FILED ON: 7/22/2025

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Bruce E. Tarr

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to enhanced background checks for early education providers.

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PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Bruce E. Tarr

First Essex and Middlesex

Kelly A. Dooner

Third Bristol and Plymouth

Peter J. Durant

Worcester and Hampshire

Ryan C. Fattman

Worcester and Hampden

Patrick M. O'Connor

First Plymouth and Norfolk


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 3083        FILED ON: 7/22/2025

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

By Mr. Tarr, a petition (accompanied by bill) (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Bruce E. Tarr, Kelly A. Dooner, Peter J. Durant, Ryan C. Fattman and others for legislation to enhance background checks for early education providers.  The Judiciary.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)

_______________

 

An Act relative to enhanced background checks for early education providers.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

Not later than 120 days following the passage of this act, the department of early education and care shall develop a plan to expand background checks for licensure, employment, and presence in programs licensed, approved, or funded by the department for applicants who have resided outside of the United States in the previous five years, to include, to the maximum feasible extent, all available international criminal record information. Said plan shall consider the utilization of mechanisms including, but not limited to, background checks through international databases and requirements for documentation from relevant custodians of criminal records in foreign jurisdictions, including but not limited to letters of good standing. In developing such plan the department shall take into account the availability of information, any necessary changes to law, rule, or regulation to allow access to, and the use of,  information, the costs and time involved in accessing information, and the most efficient and effective means to ensure that international criminal record information is incorporated into the department's licensure and approval processes.

Said plan shall be filed with the clerks of the House and Senate, the Joint Committees on the Judiciary and the Joint Committee on Education not later than 30 days following its development, provided that it shall be implemented not later than 30 days following such filing