On April 30, 2025, Congressman Russell Fry of South Carolina’s Seventh District introduced the Comprehensive Health & Integrity in Licensing and Documentation Act (CHILD Act) of 2025 alongside Congressman Jared Moskowitz (D-FL). This proposed legislation provides the means for conducting comprehensive nationwide background checks on all contractors and full-time employees who have unsupervised access to children.
The CHILD Act of 2025 seeks to amend a gap left by the Child Protection Improvements Act of 2018. The previous legislation inadvertently restricted FBI background checks for contractors working in schools and similar environments. The new act permits educational and child-focused organizations to conduct full federal background checks on all individuals who may come into contact with children.
While states like South Carolina already require FBI and SLED background checks for such contractors, discrepancies exist nationwide. Some states lack the necessary framework for accessing federal checks, leading to inconsistent safety measures across various states.
“This is about consistency and accountability,” said Congressman Fry, addressing concerns about the current vetting process. Congressman Moskowitz echoed this sentiment, stating that the CHILD Act represents a “commonsense fix” to ensure safety in schools.
The House bill complements a Senate initiative spearheaded by Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Ranking Member Dick Durbin (D-IL). “My bipartisan legislation with Senator Durbin would amend the Child Protection Improvements Act,” Senator Grassley commented, emphasizing the goal of ensuring all child care workers undergo background checks.
Senator Durbin elaborated on the importance of correcting the “patchwork approach” to securing nationwide checks, especially with regard to contractors hired by schools for various services.
The legislation garners support from several organizations, including HopSkipDrive and the National District Attorneys Association. Joanna McFarland, Co-Founder and CEO of HopSkipDrive, stated that the company is proud to support the amendment to enhance student transportation safety nationwide.
Congressman Fry, who is part of both the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the House Judiciary Committee, continues to work on related efforts through his official platforms.
