CT HB06511

Effective October 1, 2022, operators of youth athletic activities must require prospective employees age 18 and older applying as coaches, instructors, or licensed athletic trainers to submit comprehensive background checks including state and national criminal history records and state child abuse registry checks.

Criminal history background checks must be completed within five business days and can be conducted per state statute section 29-17a or through third-party providers including centralized disciplinary databases established by independent national safe sport organizations.

Background checks must be repeated at least once every five years for each employed coach, instructor, or athletic trainer.

Exemption applies to intramural and interscholastic athletic coaches employed by local or regional boards of education that already satisfy criminal history check requirements under section 10-221d.

Prospective employees may begin work provisionally while background checks are pending if supervised at all times by an employee who completed a background check within the previous five years; currently employed coaches with completed background checks in the past five years are exempt from recheck requirements.