Lawmakers Look Into Background Checks For Universities

he University of Alabama in Huntsville and the Alabama lawmakers may look into the background check polices of state universities. This is wake of the UAH shooting which left three dead.

The head of the powerful house education budget writing committee says lawmakers are shocked by the incident. "Oh, just devastated. I know kids who go to the school there. Just devastated to hear about the shooting," Representative Richard Lindsey of Centre said.

The accused killer, Amy Bishop, was hired at UAH. Reports are coming out about her past. Bishop shot and killed her brother in 1986 in an accident shooting. Bishop was questioned in a 1993 pipe bomb incident involving a former professor.

The UA system does not expect wholesale changes in their policies."I think it is lesson for all of us in business to say okay, is there something in our policies that needs to be fined tuned or tweaked," said Kellee Reinhart, UA system spokeswoman.

Lindsey says he expects the legislature will demand to know more about security and background check policies at the school. "Absolutely. I think we will look into that issue. We already have background checks for K-12, two year schools. We want to see what is required for four years," Lindsey said.

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Background Checks Drop 45 AL Youth Football Coaches

The city of Mobile has sent letters to 45 volunteer youth football coaches saying that they could no longer participate in city-run leagues because background checks found that they had criminal histories.

Several coaches decried the move Friday, saying it was another example of the city's overbearing behavior toward a group of volunteers who give up their time — and parts of their paycheck — to help inner-city children.

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BACKGROUND CHECK AT STATE FAIR LANDS FUGITIVE BEHIND BARS

A fugitive is back behind bars after trying to get a job at the Alabama State Fair in Pelham Monday.
58-year-old Preston Goff is wanted for robbery in Flathead, Montana.
He applied for a job at the fair around noon Monday, and managers ran a background check. When Goff realized the situation, he ran and hid in nearby woods.
Alabama State Fair employees called police, who the launched a 4-hour search for Goff.
Two nearby schools were placed on lockdown.
Goff finally surrendered and is now in the Shelby County Jail, waiting to be extradited back to Montana.
Goff’s criminal record includes armed robbery assaulting a police officer, forgery and vehicle theft.
Alabama State Fair organizers say they always fully screen all applicants.
“We try to run a clean, safe fun fair. We want parents to feel secure about our employees because their picking children up, helping them on and off rides,” says David Renfro of Universal Fairs.
Pelham police, Hoover police, Alabama State Troopers and officers with the Alabama Prison System helped search for Goff.