1. Player Safety
  2. Child Protection Program

State Laws on Background Checks for Local Leagues

New for 2024: Important Updates to Little League’s Child Protection Program

Learn about two key enhancements to our Child Protection Program to help in our continued evolution and commitment to player safety.

Read More

Little League Baseball, Incorporated (“LLB”) requires that all chartered Little League programs conduct an annual background check on all persons that are required to complete a “Little League Official Volunteer Application”. It is required that all of the following persons must annually submit a fully completed “Little League Official Volunteer Application” to the local league president prior to the applicant assuming his/her duties for the then current season: managers, coaches, Board of Directors members and any other persons, volunteers or hired workers who provide regular service to the league and/or have repetitive access, to or contact with, players or teams.

As of January 13, 2023, some state statutes mandate background checks for volunteers of organizations that provide sports instruction, athletic and recreational services to children. Certain municipal ordinances and administrative regulations also require background checks.

As of January 13, 2023, the eleven (11) states with background check laws for volunteers of non-school associated activities including youth sports and athletics are: Alabama, California, Connecticut, Florida, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Nevada, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Pennsylvania.

Local leagues are required by LLB to determine the applicability of, and comply with, all federal, state, local and municipal laws and ordinances and administrative rules and regulations regarding background checks including, but not limited to, requirements regarding sex offender registry checks, criminal history records or reports, fingerprinting, certifications, or other requirements associated with volunteers, coaches, participants and/or employees. It is strongly recommended that local leagues consult with legal counsel in their own jurisdictions to determine the applicability, if any, of state and local requirements to their programs regarding background checks. Failure to comply with all LLB requirements regarding background checks may result in the suspension or revocation of tournament privileges and/or a local league’s charter by action of the Tournament and/or Charter committees.

For your reference, information regarding state requirements is available by clicking on the links provided below. In addition, information regarding LLB’s Child Protection Program is available at:

Child Protection Program

The information that follows is current up to and including January 13, 2023.

State Laws on Background Checks

  • Connecticut

    Conn. Gen Stat. § 21a-432

    An “Operator” shall require any prospective employee or volunteer, who is eighteen (18) years of age or older, who applies for the position of a coach, instructor, or athletic trainer to submit to a comprehensive background check. Additionally, a comprehensive background check must be completed for each coach, instructor, or athletic trainer at least once every five (5) years. The statutory definition of “Operator” includes a nonprofit organization that conducts, coordinates, organizes or otherwise oversees any “youth athletic activities”, whether for compensation or not. “Youth athletic activities” is defined as organized athletic activity involving participants not more than nineteen (19) years of age, “who (A)(i) engage in an organized athletic game or competition against another team, club or entity or in practice or preparation for an organized game or competition against another team, club or entity, or (ii) attend an organized athletic camp or clinic the purpose of which is to train, instruct, or prepare such participants to engage in an organized athletic game or competition, and (B) (i) pay a fee to participate in such organized athletic game or competition or attend such camp or clinic, or (ii) whose cost to participate in such athletic game or competition or attend such camp or clinic is sponsored by a municipality, business or nonprofit organization.”

    The comprehensive background check must include, but is not limited to;

    (A) criminal history records check conducted (i) by submitting a request to the State Police Bureau of Identification, along with arrangement of fingerprinting of the subject individual or conducting of another method of positive identification as required by the Bureau of Identification, or (ii) by searching the electronic criminal record system maintained on the Internet web site of the Judicial Department for convictions matching the prospective employee’s name and date of birth;

    (B) check of the state child abuse registry established pursuant to section 17a-101k;

    (C) check of the sex-offender registry established and maintained pursuant to section 54-257; and

    (D) search of the National Sex Offender Registry Public Website maintained by the United States Department of Justice.

    Alternatively, an Operator may contract with a third-party provider of national criminal history checks for the conducting of the required comprehensive background checks. The third-party provider must conduct the background checks in accordance with the national industry background check standards established by the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee.

    If the comprehensive background check results in a finding that the individual applying to become an employee or to volunteer as a coach, instructor, or athletic trainer has been convicted of a felony involving the use, attempted use or threatened use of physical force against another person, of cruelty to persons under section 53-20, injury or risk of injury to or impairing morals of children under section 53-21, abandonment of children under the age of six years under section 53-23, or any felony where the victim of the felony is a child under eighteen years of age, or of a violation of section 53a-70, 53a-70a, 53a-70b, 53a-71, 53a-72a, 53a-72b or 53a-73a, or has a criminal record in Connecticut or any other state that the Operator reasonably believes may render the person unsuitable for a position as a coach, instructor or athletic trainer, the Operator shall not employ the person or accept the person as a volunteer if, after considering (1) the nature of the crime and its relationship to the position for which the person has applied; (2) information pertaining to the degree of rehabilitation of the convicted person; and (3) the time elapsed since the conviction or release, the Operator determines that such person is not suitable for the position for which such person has applied.

    Information regarding Criminal History Record Checks and Fingerprinting by the Connecticut State Police Bureau of Identification, including the request form, can be found at:

    https://portal.ct.gov/DESPP/Division-of-Emergency-Service-and-Public-Protection/Reports-and-Records/State-Police-Bureau-of-Identification

    The Connecticut Judicial Department electronic criminal record system can be accessed at the following web address:

    https://www.jud2.ct.gov/crdockets/SearchByDefDisp.aspx

    Information regarding check of the Central Registry for child abuse and neglect, including the request form, can be found at:

    https://portal.ct.gov/DCF/Background-Checks/Home  

    The Connecticut Sex-offender Registry can be accessed at the following web address by clicking “Sex Offender Registry on the left-hand column:

    https://portal.ct.gov/Services/Public-Safety

    The National Sex Offender Registry can be accessed at the following web address:

    https://www.nsopw.gov/

    The Connecticut statute, can be viewed online at:

    https://www.cga.ct.gov/2022/sup/chap_420l.htm#sec_21a-432

    See also § 17a-101k, § 29-17a, and § 54-257:

    https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_319a.htm#sec_17a-101k

    https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_529.htm#sec_29-17a

    https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_969.htm#sec_54-257

  • Nevada

    Nev. Rev. Stat. § 432A.710

    An entity that operates a “seasonal or temporary recreation program” shall complete a background and personal history check for each staff member within three (3) days of the staff members hiring and once every 5 years thereafter. Additionally, programs must conduct a child abuse and neglect screening (“CANS”) through the Statewide Central Registry for the Collection of Information Concerning the Abuse or Neglect of a Child by submitting a request to the Division of Child and Family Services of the Department of Health and Human Services.

    A “seasonal or temporary recreation program” is defined by Nev. Rev. Stat. § 432A.029 as a recreation program offered to children for a limited time or duration and includes, without limitation a baseball or other sports league.

    The national background checks required by Little League Regulations meet the requirements of a “background and personal history check.” However, leagues must request that the CANS check be performed by the Division of Child and Family Services by submitting a request form (see link to website where form can be obtained below).

    The Nevada statute can be viewed online at below by clicking “NRS 432A.710” on the left side:

    https://www.leg.state.nv.us/Division/Legal/LawLibrary/NRS/NRS-432A.html

    See also § 432A.029, by clicking “NRS 432A.029” for the definition of “seasonal or temporary recreation program” at:

    https://www.leg.state.nv.us/Division/Legal/LawLibrary/NRS/NRS-432A.html

    The CANS request form can be obtained online at below by clicking “Employer Request for Central Registry Information” at the bottom of the page.

    http://dcfs.nv.gov/Forms/CentralRegistry/