United States 114th Congress Status: Died 1 R cosponsors

S 856 — Stop Sexual Abuse by School Personnel Act of 2015

Last action — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. Died in session

This bill died with 114th Congress. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there is no live prognosis. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Summary

Stop Sexual Abuse by School Personnel Act of 2015 Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to require each state and local educational agency (LEA) that receives funds under the ESEA to have policies and procedures in effect that require a criminal background check for each school employee in the LEA's public elementary and secondary schools. Requires the background check to be conducted and administered by the state or the LEA. Authorizes states or LEAs to use ESEA funds to establish, implement, or improve policies and procedures on background checks for school employees. Lists the policies and procedures to be implemented using that assistance, including training for school employees on how to recognize, respond to, and prevent child abuse. Requires state and LEA school improvement plans (required for receipt of school improvement funds under part A of title I of the ESEA) to describe the laws, regulations, or policies and procedures in effect in the state that: terminate individuals who fail to pass the criminal background check, improve the reporting of those failures, reduce the instances of a school employee being transferred following the employee's failure to pass the background check, provide a school employee with a requested copy of the employee's criminal background check and a timely process for appealing its results, provide the results of the criminal background check to the employer in a statement that indicates whether a school employee is eligible for employment, and make the background check policies and procedures publicly available. Directs the Secretary of Education, in collaboration with the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Attorney General, to provide technical assistance and support to states, LEAs, and schools that shall include, at a minimum: a comprehensive package of materials that outlines the steps that can be taken to prevent and respond to child sexual abuse by school personnel; the most cost-effective way to disseminate federal information so states, LEAs, child welfare agencies, and criminal justice entities are aware of such information and have access to it; and mechanisms to better track and analyze the prevalence of child sexual abuse by school personnel through existing federal data collection systems.

Bill Text

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Read S 856 on the official United States source →

Action History

  1. Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 546 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (546)

546 members have not signed on to this bill.

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"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

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Subjects

Administrative remedies Child safety and welfare Congressional oversight Crimes against children Criminal justice information and records Domestic violence and child abuse Education programs funding Elementary and secondary education Employee hiring Personnel records School administration Sex offenses Teaching, teachers, curricula Education
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Frequently asked questions

What does S 856 do?
Stop Sexual Abuse by School Personnel Act of 2015 Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to require each state and local educational agency (LEA) that receives funds under the ESEA to have policies and procedures in effect that require a criminal background check for each school employee in the LEA's public elementary and secondary schools. Requires the background check to be conducted and administered by the state or the LEA. Authorizes states or LEAs to use ESEA funds to establish, implement, or improve policies and procedures on background checks for school employees. Lists the policies and procedures to be implemented using that assistance, including training for school employees on how to recognize, respond to, and prevent child abuse. Requires state and LEA school improvement plans (required for receipt of school improvement funds under part A of title I of the ESEA) to describe the laws, regulations, or policies and procedures in effect in the state that: terminate individuals who fail to pass the criminal background check, improve the reporting of those failures, reduce the instances of a school employee being transferred following the employee's failure to pass the background check, provide a school employee with a requested copy of the employee's criminal background check and a timely process for appealing its results, provide the results of the criminal background check to the employer in a statement that indicates whether a school employee is eligible for employment, and make the background check policies and procedures publicly available. Directs the Secretary of Education, in collaboration with the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Attorney General, to provide technical assistance and support to states, LEAs, and schools that shall include, at a minimum: a comprehensive package of materials that outlines the steps that can be taken to prevent and respond to child sexual abuse by school personnel; the most cost-effective way to disseminate federal information so states, LEAs, child welfare agencies, and criminal justice entities are aware of such information and have access to it; and mechanisms to better track and analyze the prevalence of child sexual abuse by school personnel through existing federal data collection systems.
Who sponsors S 856?
S 856 is sponsored by Lamar Alexander (R).
What is the current status of S 856?
This bill died with 114th Congress. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track S 856?
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