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Jessica Lunsford Act

Florida Public School
Construction Employee and Contract Vendor Background Checks

JLA Passes!  Governor Crist signs
SB 988 / HB 7103 and it becomes law!

Governor Crist (center) with ABC North Florida Chapter members Camp Bulloch (left) and Gary Stout (right), who represented ABC of Florida at the JLA bill signing ceremony.  Bulloch and Stout are past chapter chairman, and Stout served as chair of the state organization.

These are the changes effective July 1, 2007. 

  • Exempt school grounds are defined to include buildings and grounds where students are not permitted access…
  • Background checks will be done every 5 years and costs limited to 130% of cost…
  • One check required and other districts shall use the share system…
  • Offending criminal offenses listed and limited to eight criminal acts…
  • 48 hour notification by employee and/or employer as it becomes aware…
  • Exempting from screening are people who are physically under the supervision of those who have been checked…
  • Workers behind a 6 foot chained link fence are exempt…
  • Workers who deliver or pick up at schools are exempt…
  • Only one check is required…

Florida Technical Assistance Publication (TAP)

Press Releases:

Governor's office news release http://www.flgov.com/release/9116

ABC Press Release:

NEW LAW FIXES MANY PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED AFTER INITIAL PASSAGE

Tallahassee - Governor Charlie Crist, with Senator Nancy Argenziano and members of Associated Builders and Contractors watching on, signed the Jessica Lunsford Reform Act (SB 988) Wednesday morning (June 20th, 2007), the culmination of two years of hearings, input and hard work to improve the legislation.

Passed in 2005, The Jessica Lunsford Act required school contractors (construction, vendors, delivery, etc.) to submit to a fingerprint based "level 2" background screening. The original legislation caused untold difficulties and increased costs for school districts, taxpayers and local communities. Multiple screenings where required in each district a contractor worked, local interpretation of "moral turpitude" resulted in an inconsistent application of the law, contractors with absolutely no contact with students were required to undergo the background screening, and a requirement to resubmit to the process annually all created significant barriers of compliance.

The new legislation, in addition to requiring a designated marking on Florida driver licenses issued to convicted sexual predators or offenders, does the following:

  • Contractors whose school construction sites are separated by a six (6) foot chain link fence or on sites where students are not permitted or present, will be EXEMPT from the provisions of the Jessica Lunsford Act.
  • Contractors who must still comply with the provisions of the act may only be required to screen their employees once, state-wide (not for each individual school district), every five (5) years.
  • Employees subject to screening may no longer be denied access to school grounds for a school districts individual interpretation of "moral turpitude" but only for violating specific offenses (sexual offenses, murder, terrorism and kidnapping).

Associated Builders and Contractors led the effort to improve the Jessica Lunsford Act, as evident by our presence at the signing ceremony, and we wish to thank Governor Crist and especially former Senator Nancy Argenziano for her efforts to improve this legislation. 

 

 

 

 

 

Central Florida ABC, Inc.
651 Danville Drive l Orlando, FL 32825
Tel: 407-628-2070 l Fax: 407-629-0144
abc@abccentralflorida.org

 

May 8: CEO Reception
This event is by invitation only. Please contact Nancy Wray for more information.
May 13: Meet The Generals
This event is by invitation only. Please contact Nancy Wray for more information.
May 15: Member Reception

ABC members are invited to Slingapour’s for our monthly member reception. Sponsored by GRG Structures Group, Inc. and Doster Construction Company, Inc.

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ABC leads the charge to fix JLA. 

Read the report to the membership from Mark Wylie.

Read more ABC analysis

ABC Members can contact Central Florida Chapter President Mark Wylie at 407-398-1272 for more information or email.