SPRINGFIELD – In an effort to safeguard student athletes, State Senator Mary Edly-Allen brought House Bill 2521 to the Senate Criminal Law Committee on Tuesday to increase protections for students and strengthen background checks for sports officials.

“As an educator, it is of utmost importance to safeguard our children, both in and out of the classroom,” said Edly-Allen (D-Libertyville). “This bill helps ensure all children are safe and guarded while participating in high school athletics.”

Under current law, school employees, including bus drivers, are required to undergo fingerprint background checks. However, background checks do not apply for sports officials, such as referees or umpires.

According to an Inspector General report last year, dozens of people on Chicago Public Schools’ “do not hire” list were paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for officiating sporting events for children, including a person with a felony conviction for kidnapping, and at least eight sports officials who had been investigated by CPS for sexual assault. To address insufficient background checks, CPS is now voluntarily conducting fingerprint background checks for all active officials.

Edly-Allen’s measure would require stronger background checks for all sports officials in Illinois, bringing sports officials into compliance with the state’s standard process for school employees. If adopted, Illinois would join 11 other states that have background check laws for sports officials.

House Bill 2521 passed the Senate Criminal Law Committee on Tuesday and heads to the full Senate.

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