VIDEO: A Delaware bill aimed at strengthening criminal background checks for volunteer firefighters is moving through the General Assembly, but a newly added amendment would narrow who must undergo screening and who would be automatically barred from serving.
Supporters say Senate Bill 325 would close a longstanding gap in Delaware’s current background check process by requiring both state and federal criminal history checks for many volunteer fire company members.
According to the Delaware Volunteer Firefighters Association, Delaware has long required state-level background checks, but those checks do not capture criminal histories from other states.
“The Delaware fire service has been working hand-in-hand with legislative sponsors for several years to get this background check policy right, and SB 325 strikes the exact balance we need,” Executive Manager Jay Jones said in a statement.
WRDE-LD NBC 31 Salisbury
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