On Friday, March 23, President Trump signed the omnibus spending package, which included provisions for the Child Protection Improvements Act (CPIA). The new law enables organizations serving vulnerable populations, such as children, the elderly, and individuals with disabilities to conduct fast, accurate, and affordable FBI background checks on prospective volunteers and employees. Prior to this law being passed, more than one-third of states do not have access to FBI background checks.

ACA leadership and volunteers were very influential in advocating for the inclusion of CPIA in the final omnibus bill. CPIA enjoyed the support of prominent members of Congress from both political parties, including House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI), Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and Senator Orin Hatch (R-UT).

For more than 10 years, ACA has worked closely with YMCA-USA, MENTOR – The National Mentoring Partnership, and many other youth-serving organizations to champion the passage of CPIA. ACA’s advocacy efforts, in cooperation with the other dedicated organizations, have helped enrich the lives of children, youth, and adults. 

ACA and our partners will now work with the Department of Justice to make sure CPIA is set up effectively. In the coming months, we expect to learn more about CPIA implementation and the regular rulemaking process that takes place for new laws. ACA will remain engaged during the CPIA implementation process and provide regular updates on any new developments.