California Assembly Bill 506 and Youth Protection Training

12-9-21

Protecting youth is our top priority and we are excited to announce some new layers of protection the State of California will be introducing next year to supplement and enhance our already robust Youth Protection Policies.

Starting next year, California law AB 506 will require all youth-serving organizations to take several steps to protect children from neglect and abuse. Due to our commitment to safety, we are already meeting several of the requirements, including having two leaders at every meeting and clear policies for reporting abuse for all registered adults. However, two new requirements will be added next year to strengthen our Youth Protection efforts in our council and affect many of our volunteers and families.

These new requirements are for everyone regardless of Boy Scout registrations status 18 years of age or older and who has direct contact with, or supervision of, children for more than 16 hours per month or 32 hours per year. They consist of:

  • Mandatory Fingerprinting
  • Mandated Reporter Training from the State of California (2 hours).

We are still gathering details for our timeline and implementation, but we wanted to share this news with you. True youth protection can be achieved only through the focused commitment of everyone in Scouting, and we thank you for your dedication to keeping all our Scouts safe in Scouting. We will be sharing more details about these new requirements in the coming weeks and months.

 11-18-21

California Assembly Bill 506 became law on September 16, 2021. AB 506 requires administrators, employees, and regular volunteers of youth service organizations to:

  • Complete training in child abuse and neglect identification and reporting
  • Undergo a background check to identify and exclude any persons with a history of child abuse
  • Ensure mandatory reporting of suspected incidents of child abuse to persons or entities outside of the organization
  • Require two mandatory reporters whenever in contact or in the supervision of children

The BSA’s Youth Protection Training standards required of all registered adults, our two deep leadership policy, and the criminal background check performed with an adult volunteer’s registration appear to meet most of the requirements of this law. The BSA’s routine criminal background check does not meet this standard, thus a background check with finger print scan will be required soon. Fingerprinting is already required in many schools, sports, and other organizations such as the Catholic Churches.

We have previously updated you on our council’s YPT policy, which requires that all registered adults 18 and over maintain YPT compliance for their entire registration period.

The California Inland Empire Council leadership is working with National Service Territory 3 to develop a consistent plan for all California BSA councils to fulfill the law’s requirements. As with all major news and changes to our local policies, look for upcoming news releases and information on our website for more details in the coming weeks.

Click here to view the content of AB 506

Read more about the Boy Scouts of America Youth Protection Training.

 

California AB 506 Scouting FAQs

Preliminary Draft 12-14-21
Subject to Change
Visit
www.CaliforniaScouting.org/faq/ for the latest information

 

Who does this new law apply to?
AB 506 requires all employees and regular volunteers who are 18 years of age or older and who have direct contact with, or supervision of, children for more than 16 hours a month or 32 hours per year to complete a Live Scan background check and take California’s online mandated reporter training.

 

What is the first step?  Do I need to take the course or Live Scan background check first?
You can complete the steps in any order, but both training and Live Scan must be completed for compliance.

 

Do I still need to take the BSA’s Youth Protection Course in addition to the State of California training?
You must take the BSA Youth Protection Training in addition to the California mandated reporter training because it provides Scouting-specific information.

 

I am in different positions in Scouting (i.e. Cub Scouts and Scouts BSA), do I need a background check for each registration?
You only need to complete the Live Scan and training with your Council one time.

 

I am registered in more than one Scout Council, do I need to complete Live Scan for both Councils?
If you register in more than one Council, then you will need to complete a Live Scan background check for each Council.

 

I have done a Live Scan background check for my job or with another youth organization, do I have to do another with BSA?
Yes. California law requires each organization to independently maintain background information on its volunteers and employees. 

 

What is the Minimum Age requirement?
Any Staff member or regular volunteer who is 18 years of age or older must meet the AB 506 requirements. A regular volunteer is defined as someone who has direct contact with, or supervision of, children for more than 16 hours per month or 32 hours per year.

 

Where do I need to do the Live Scan background check?
https://www.certifixlivescan.com/

 

Do I have to pay for the training and Live Scan check?
Yes. The costs vary by location.  Most locations charge $20-40 for the fingerprinting plus $17 for the FBI Background check. State Department of Justice charges have been waived at this time for non-profit organizations.

 

Does AB 506 apply to parents and other adults involved with their children in Scouting but not serving as a volunteer leader? 

  • Lion/Tiger Cub Adult Partners – Clearances are NOT required for Tiger Cub Adult Partners as they are participating in the BSA program with their children as parents and are not in a leadership capacity, such as den leader.
  • Clearances ARE required for Lion/Tiger Cub Den Leaders because they are serving in a leadership capacity.
  • Merit Badge Counselors – Clearances ARE REQUIRED for Merit Badge Counselors (with or without parents present).
  • Eagle Boards of Review – Clearances are NOT required for community volunteers serving on Eagle Boards of Review but there must be two registered leaders present.
  • Parents helping with fundraisers (Popcorn sales and/or store front sales) – if the parent volunteers for more than 16 hours in a month or 32 hours in a year and has direct contact with, or supervises youth then clearances ARE REQUIRED.
  • Adults who stay occasionally at a meeting to help out – clearances are NOT required unless the parent volunteers for more than 16 hours in a month or 32 hours in a year and has direct contact with, or supervises youth, then clearances ARE REQUIRED.
  • At Cub Scout Pack meetings, Troop courts of honor or day events where parents are attending with their children – clearances are NOT required of parents because they and not volunteers.
  • At events where every Scout must participate with their parent(s) – clearances are NOT required of parents of participants.
  • Venturers or Explorers – Clearances are NOT required for 18-20-year-old Venturers or Explorers, as they are program participants and not volunteers.
  • Special Needs Scouts – Clearances are NOT required for special needs Scouts (age 18+) as they are program participants.

 

How often do I have to do a Live Scan background check?
California law currently requires you to do this once for each organization for which you volunteer.  However, if you leave Scouting and then come back later, you will need to redo the Live Scan background check.

 

I am a volunteer who does not work directly with children, do I need to do this?
California law only requires those volunteers who are 18 years of age or older and who have direct contact with, or supervision of, children for more than 16 hours in a month or 32 hours in a year to complete the Live Scan background check and online training.

 

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