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Council hears options to comply with new Florida background-check law for coaches and volunteers
Summary
Staff briefed the council on Florida Statute 943.0438 implementation options for background checks on volunteers and athletic coaches, described current city practice, shared options (affidavit listing names, permit-linked checks), cost estimates for level-2 checks and asked for council direction on scope and who bears cost.
City staff updated the City Council on state changes to background-check requirements for volunteers and athletic coaches and offered options for local implementation. James (staff member) said the statewide statute cited in the presentation is 943.0438, enacted in 2024, and that the effective compliance date for a broader requirement was moved from July 1, 2025, to July 1, 2026.
James said Palm Coast currently requires some background checks for employees and volunteers and that special-event roles (for example, Santa Claus or Easter-Bunny volunteers) already go through a level-2 background check that includes fingerprinting. He described options for council direction, including making background verification part of an annual permit process (so teams submit checks or affidavits as part of field-permit renewals) or requiring a signed affidavit that lists by name the volunteers/coaches who passed screening.
Council discussion focused on scope, costs and fairness. Councilmember Mark Strowbridge noted the third-party certification fee shown on a slide and said he would not "get in the weeds" on liability; he identified the fee range for level-2 checks as about $60 to $105. Other councilmembers expressed concern about unduly excluding people for distant or remediated offenses and suggested mirroring the city’s hiring policy standards and avoiding overly punitive blanket exclusions. James said a locally administered process could include spot checks and require organizations to provide documentation so the city can verify compliance.
Staff presented no recommended ordinance change at the meeting; instead, they requested direction on which option to pursue and whether the city should administer checks, require proof from organizations, or accept affidavits listing individuals by name. No final policy was adopted during the session.
