FL S1830

Defines "educational entities" to include the Department of Education, district schools, charter schools, virtual schools, hope operators, and alternative schools, and requires them to register with and initiate criminal history checks through the Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse

Upgrades background screening requirements for independent sanctioning authority athletic coaches from level 1 to level 2 screenings and mandates (rather than encourages) participation in the Volunteer and Employee Criminal History System under the National Child Protection Act of 1993

Expands the Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse to allow criminal history results to be shared among educational entities, early learning coalitions, and qualified entities for employment, licensing, and contract screening purposes

Requires the Department of Law Enforcement to retain fingerprints submitted for background screenings, enroll them in the national retained print arrest notification program, develop an automated biometric identification method (including facial recognition and retina scans), and conduct periodic audits of qualified entities

Prohibits qualified entities providing child care from employing or accepting volunteers ineligible for exemption under s. 435.07(4)(c), and bars persons found ineligible under level 2 screening standards or s. 1012.315 from positions requiring direct contact with students; effective date of July 1, 2023