HARRISBURG (AP) Volunteers who work with children in the state will no longer have to pay for the background checks required of them, Gov. Tom Wolf's administration announced Wednesday.

The new policy also reduces from $10 to $8 the cost of child abuseclearances and criminal histories for nonvolunteers, such as child care workers, foster parents and school employees.The policy does not,however, affect the cost of FBI background checks mandated for people who work with children if they haven't lived in the state continuously for 10 years.The requirement forvolunteers goes into effect July 1 under a 2014 law.The free and reduced cost of the state checks, performed by the Department of Human Services and the state police, go into effect July 25.The measure was among about two dozen new laws enacted after a task force recommended changes in response to the child abuse scandal involving former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sanduskyand child abuse cases involving clergy members. Sandusky was convicted of sexually abusing 10 boys and is serving a decades-long prison sentencebut has maintained his innocence.The checks are required of, among others, adults who live in the same households as foster children, prospective adoptive parents and their adult household members and juveniles 14 or older who want jobs involving child care.Fewer people would have to undergo background checks under a bill pending in the state House. It was amended on Wednesday to put the free checks for volunteers into state law and then was put on hold until next week.