CARSON CITY, Nev. – The Nevada Department of Education today announced the signing of an emergency regulation, providing guidance to schools on how to meet new background check requirements for volunteers until a permanent regulation is adopted later this year by the Legislative Commission. Governor Brian Sandoval signed the emergency regulation.

“With the school year starting it is very important to provide clarity to our school administrators and teachers so that we remain in compliance with Senate Bill 287 that was passed during the 2017 legislative session,” said Steve Canavero, Ph.D., Superintendent of Public Instruction. “I really appreciate the work that Governor Sandoval and Senator Heidi Gansert have done so that the important role our volunteers perform goes uninterrupted while we also ensure that proper protections are in place for our students.”

SB 287 maintains important protections for students through a requirement that school volunteers pass a background check. The State Board of Education anticipates hearing the regulations in October to establish consistent requirements of background checks for school volunteers throughout Nevada.

The Governor’s proposed emergency regulations include three important provisions: a definition of a volunteer for purposes of NRS 388A.515; 388C.200; and 391.104; a definition to determine whether or not a volunteer has regular contact with pupils; and clear exemption from a background check for volunteers that have regular contact with pupils under very specific conditions.