HR 5300 IHCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To provide safeguards with respect to the Federal Bureau of Investigation criminal background checks prepared for employment purposes, and for other purposes.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

May 13, 2010CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia (for himself, Mr. LATOURETTE, Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California, Mr. LOBIONDO, and Mrs. MILLER of Michigan) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the JudiciaryCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To provide safeguards with respect to the Federal Bureau of Investigation criminal background checks prepared for employment purposes, and for other purposes.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ‘Fairness and Accuracy in Employment Background Checks Act of 2010’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 2. SAFEGUARDS FOR BACKGROUND CHECKS.

The Attorney General shall establish and enforce procedures to ensure the prompt release of accurate records and information exchanged for employment-related purposes through the records system created under section 534 of title 28, United States Code.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 3. REQUIRED PROCEDURES.

The procedures established under section 2 shall include the following:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) INACCURATE RECORD OR INFORMATION- If the Attorney General determines that a record or information is inaccurate, the Attorney General shall promptly correct that record or information or, if appropriate, promptly make any changes or deletions to the records or information.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) INCOMPLETE RECORD OR INFORMATION-CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) If the Attorney General determines that a record or information is incomplete or cannot be verified, the Attorney General shall attempt to complete or verify the record or information, and if the Attorney General is unable to do so, the Attorney General may promptly make any changes or deletions to the record or information.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) For the purposes of this paragraph, an incomplete record or information includes a record or information that indicates there was an arrest and does not include the disposition of that arrest.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) If the record or information is an incomplete record or information described in subparagraph (B), the Attorney General shall, not later than 10 days after the requesting entity requests the exchange and before the exchange is made, obtain the disposition (if any) of the arrest.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) NOTIFICATION OF REPORTING JURISDICTION- The Attorney General shall notify each appropriate reporting jurisdiction of any action taken under paragraph (1) or (2).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW RECORDS OR INFORMATION BY APPLICANT- In connection with an exchange of such a record or information, the Attorney General shall--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) obtain the consent of the applicant to exchange the record or information with the requesting entity;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) at the time of consent, notify the applicant that the applicant can obtain a copy of the record or information;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) provide to the applicant an opportunity to obtain a copy of the record or information upon request and to challenge the accuracy and completeness of that record or information;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(D) promptly notify the requesting entity of any such challenge;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(E) not later than 30 days after the challenge is made, complete an investigation of the challenge;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(F) provide to the applicant the specific findings and results of that investigation;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(G) promptly make any changes or deletions to the records or information required as a result of the challenge; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(H) report those changes to the requesting entity.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) CERTAIN EXCHANGES PROHIBITED- An exchange shall not include any record or information--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) about an arrest more than one year old as of the date of the request for the exchange, that does not also include a disposition (if any) of that arrest;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) relating to an adult or juvenile non-serious offense of the sort described in section 20.32(b) of title 28, Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect on July 1, 2009; orCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) to the extent the record or information is not clearly an arrest or a disposition of an arrest.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 4. FEES.

The Attorney General may collect reasonable fees for all exchanges of records or information for employment-related purposes through the records system created under section 534 of title 28, United States Code, to defray the costs associated with exchanges for those purposes, including any costs associated with the investigation of inaccurate or incomplete records or information.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 5. REGULATIONS ON REASONABLE PROCEDURES.

Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Attorney General shall issue regulations to carry out this Act.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 6. ANNUAL REPORTS ON PROCEDURES.

For each of the first 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Attorney General shall submit an annual report to Congress that includes--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) the number of exchanges of records or information for employment-related purposes made with entities in each State through the records system created under section 534 of title 28, United States Code;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) appropriate statistical information to determine whether the exchange of records or information about arrests that did not result in convictions is affecting the employment opportunities of employees to whom those records or information pertain;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) any prolonged failure of a reporting jurisdiction to comply with a request by the Attorney General for information about dispositions of arrests;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) the percent of missing arrest dispositions located within the time limit required by this Act; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) the numbers of successful and unsuccessful challenges to the accuracy and completeness of records or information, by State where the records and information originated.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 7. REPORT ON STATUTORY AND REGULATORY RESTRICTIONS AND DISQUALIFICATIONS BASED ON CRIMINAL RECORDS.

(a) In General- Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Attorney General shall report to Congress on all Federal statutes, regulations, and policies providing employment restrictions and disqualifications based on criminal records.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Identification of Information- In the report, the Attorney General shall identify each occupation or position to which such restrictions or disqualifications apply, and for each such occupation or position, include--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) a description of the restriction or disqualification;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) the duration of the restriction or disqualification;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) an evaluation of the rationale for the restriction or disqualification and its continuing usefulness;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) the procedures, if any, to appeal, waive or exempt the restriction or disqualification based on a showing of rehabilitation or other relevant evidence;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) any information available about the numbers of individuals restricted or disqualified on the basis of a criminal record; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(6) the identity of the Federal agency with jurisdiction over the restriction or disqualification.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 8. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) the term ‘for employment-related purposes’ includes for the purpose of screening an individual for employment or occupational licensing;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) the term ‘applicant’ means the person to whom the record or information sought to be exchanged pertains;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) the term ‘requesting entity’ means the person or entity seeking the exchange of records or information;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) the term ‘State’ includes the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and each other territory and possession of the United States; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) the term ‘reporting jurisdiction’ includes any person or entity that provides relevant records and information to the Attorney General under section 534 of title 28, United States Code.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink