SB 1168 Florida Senate · 2026 Regular Session

Background Screenings

Summary

Background Screenings; Providing that, effective on a specified date, an independent sanctioning authority is deemed to be a qualified entity for the purpose of participating in the Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse; requiring qualified entities to designate a user administrator for a specified purpose; prohibiting certain persons from denying or failing to acknowledge certain criminal history records that have been expunged or sealed, etc.

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Jan 13, 2026 Last action Mar 9, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

S 1168 c1 → S 1168 c2 · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill updates the background screening requirements for youth athletic coaches and expands the definition of who must be screened. It clarifies that independent sanctioning authorities are now treated as qualified entities for the background screening clearinghouse and adds specific exemptions for referees and minors under 18, allowing them to work under the supervision of a qualified coach with a lower-level screening. The bill also refines the rules on when expunged or sealed criminal records must be disclosed to employers.

Scope change

The scope of the background screening requirement was expanded to explicitly include independent sanctioning authorities and clarified to include referees and minors under 18 under specific supervision conditions.

ELIGIBILITY

Independent sanctioning authorities are now legally deemed to be qualified entities eligible to participate in the Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse.

REQUIREMENT

New exemptions were created allowing referees and youth under 18 to act as coaches if they pass a lower-level (Level 1) background screening and are directly supervised by a qualified coach.

DEFINITION

A new definition for 'team based in this state' was added to clarify which youth teams are subject to the background screening rules.

ENFORCEMENT

The bill updates the specific circumstances under which employers must acknowledge or deny expunged or sealed criminal records, particularly regarding the disclosure of such records to licensing agencies.

TIMELINE

The effective date for the requirement that independent sanctioning authorities conduct background screenings was set to July 1, 2026.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 4, 2026

Upper · Passed

Pending reference review -under Rule 4.7(2) - (Committee Substitute)

upper

Feb 25, 2026

Upper · Passed

On Committee agenda-- Fiscal Policy, 03/02/26, 12:00 pm, 412 Knott Building

upper

Feb 18, 2026

Upper · Passed

Favorable by Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services; YEAS 9 NAYS 0

upper

Feb 13, 2026

Upper · Passed

On Committee agenda-- Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services, 02/18/26, 8:30 am, 412 Knott Building

upper

Jan 28, 2026

Upper · Passed

Now in Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services

upper

Jan 28, 2026

Upper · Passed

Pending reference review under Rule 4.7(2) - (Committee Substitute)

upper

Jan 21, 2026

Upper · Passed

On Committee agenda-- Health Policy, 01/26/26, 3:30 pm, 412 Knott Building

upper

Jan 13, 2026

Introduced

upper

Jan 12, 2026

Committee

Referred to Health Policy; Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services; Fiscal Policy

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors