Legislation signed to protect kids

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - Representative Clyde Kersey of Terre Haute called it the most important piece of legislation he's ever authored.

House Bill 1462 closes what he called loopholes regarding existing background checks for teachers.

Prior to this legislation, the Hoosier state required only limited background checks for school employees. This meant it was possible for convicted felons from other states to slip into our schools.

"There were problems with that because we have teachers moving in from outside state," said Representative Kersey. "They might have committed a felony in another state."

The new law requires a national criminal background check through the FBI once a teacher applies for a job in Indiana.

The law also covers other school corporation employees from bus drivers to janitors.

A move local parents were happy to hear.

"If someone was teaching my kid that was involved in some kind of criminal activity, I would be outraged," said Terre Haute parent Johnny Russell.

The law also requires school corporations run employees names through the national sex offender registry.

To ensure teachers and other school corporation employees maintain clean criminal records, House Bill 1462 mandates follow-up checks every five years.

This bill will go into effect July 1.