BISMARCK – A bill requiring background checks for new child care employees is expected to be reconsidered tonight after it failed in the House by two votes.
Rep. Jerry Kelsh, D-Fullerton, voted no to Senate Bill 2162 this morning, but said he plans to bring a motion to reconsider the bill when the Senate reconvenes at 6 p.m.
Kelsh said the explanation of the bill was “convoluted” and misunderstood by some House members.
The bill failed 46-47 and required 48 votes.
The bill calls for mandatory background checks for new child care employees.
Rep. Robin Weisz, R-Hurdsfield, who presented the conference committee report, said he would not support the background checks because they were too intrusive.
Kelsh said after studying the bill closer, he supports it.
“I certainly wouldn’t want to be in the way of children being safe,” he said.
The bill calls for about 5,000 background checks during the next two years, scaled back considerably from the 18,600 checks that would have been done under the original proposal that was included in Gov. John Hoeven’s budget.