Mussman Moves to Strengthen Park District Volunteer Screening Standards

SCHAUMBURG, Ill. – State Rep. Michelle Mussman, D-Schaumburg, is encouraged that a measure to strengthen park district volunteer screening processes and aims to prevent sex offenders from working with children, which she supported, was recently signed into law.

“The safety of our children should be the top priority of all elected officials,” said Mussman. “That’s why I support a bill that holds our community volunteers to the same high standards as our park district staff. Park district volunteers with a criminal history relating to child sex crimes will not be allowed to have access to children, whatsoever.”

The Mussman-backed House Bill 786 strictly prohibits park districts from knowingly engaging a volunteer who has been convicted or found to be a child sex offender. While park districts currently require applicants to authorize an investigation to determine if the applicant has a history of sexual offenses, the new law will now hold volunteers in the same regard.

“In the Schaumburg area, we’re lucky to have some of the best park districts in the entire state,” Mussman said. “This is why we should make sure that the volunteers who work in our park district programs have no known histories that could put our children at risk.”

For more information, please contact Mussman’s constituent service office at 847-923-9104 or at staterepmussman@gmail.com.