At it's November 12 meeting, the Tennessee Secondary School Activities Association (TSSAA) voted unanimously to conduct background checks on anyone who registers to become an official.

Board of Control voted to implement annual background checks for anyone who registers as an official with TSSAA

— TSSAA (@tssaa) November 12, 2015

The background checks will be performed on a nationwide basis

— TSSAA (@tssaa) November 12, 2015

“We feel the time has come for us as an organization to require individuals to pass a background check prior to registering as an official,” TSSAA Executive Director Bernard Childress said.

“No one would be able to register with us until we know they have gone through the background check, they have completed all of the steps for registration and their assigners would not get their names until all those steps have been completed.”

The TSSAA immediately will start requiring background checks for new officials.  Annual screening will be required to remain an active official in Tennessee high school sports.

Once officials register for one sport they are covered for the rest of the school year. So the first officials who will undergo background checks will be those who are registering for spring sports only.