As someone deeply concerned with the safety and well-being of our children, I have become increasingly aware of a gap in protection for our kids from individuals holding positions of trust. While teachers and school staff undergo rigorous background checks and scrutiny including finger print cards, many other figures in our children's lives, such as police officers, sports coaches, volunteers, mentors, counselors, religious officials, and even politicians, do not meet the same security standards. Statistics reveal that these groups are among the largest offenders when it comes to serial crimes against children, yet they often go unchecked or are overlooked as potential threats to our young ones.

In Arizona, our children deserve to be safe no matter where they are or who they are with. This security should not solely rely on the domain of schools and educational staff. We need comprehensive, standardized measures that require everyone who works with children on a regular basis—defined as once a week for an hour or more—to undergo the same background checks, fingerprint ID clearance, and verification against national and local sex offender registries as required of teachers and school staff.

Protecting our children should be a top priority. We must ensure the people responsible for educating, coaching, supporting, or mentoring our children meet high security standards before they interact with them regularly. This ensures their safety across all aspects of their community life.

Join me in urging the state of Arizona to implement these necessary steps. This change will provide greater security and peace of mind for parents and guardians, knowing that their children are surrounded by trustworthy individuals in all areas of their lives. Sign this petition to help enact this change and protect our kids from potential harm.