(A) As used in this section and section 121.402 of the Revised Code, “organization or entity” and “unsupervised access to a child” have the same meanings as in section 109.574 of the Revised Code.

Ask a legal question, get an answer ASAP!
Click here to chat with a lawyer about your rights.

(B) The Ohio commission on service and volunteerism shall adopt a set of “recommended best practices” for organizations or entities to follow when one or more volunteers of the organization or entity have unsupervised access to one or more children or otherwise interact with one or more children. The “recommended best practices” shall focus on, but shall not be limited to, the issue of the safety of the children and, in addition, the screening and supervision of volunteers. The “recommended best practices” shall include as a recommended best practice that the organization or entity subject to a criminal records check performed by the bureau of criminal identification and investigation pursuant to section 109.57, section 109.572, or rules adopted under division (E) of section 109.57 of the Revised Code, all of the following:

(1) All persons who apply to serve as a volunteer in a position in which the person will have unsupervised access to a child on a regular basis.

(2) All volunteers who are in a position in which the person will have unsupervised access to a child on a regular basis and who the organization or entity has not previously subjected to a criminal records check performed by the bureau of criminal identification and investigation.

(C) The set of “recommended best practices” required to be adopted by this section are in addition to the educational program required to be adopted under section 121.402 of the Revised Code.