Sponsors (30)
The bill strengthens interstate vetting for multistate licenses and narrows some data sharing to protect applicants' records, but it raises privacy/use concerns, could impede coordinated investigations or appeals, and will increase administrative burdens and costs.
State licensing authorities in compact states can receive FBI criminal history records to conduct required background checks for multistate licenses, enabling more consistent vetting of applicants across member states.
Licensing boards may report only a pass/fail result and completion status to the interstate compact Commission, reducing sharing of detailed criminal record data and limiting wider dissemination of sensitive information about applicants.
Key definitions (e.g., CHRI, license, privilege, Commission, State identification bureau) are clarified, helping state agencies and bureaus understand legal limits and lawful uses of background checks and improving compliance.
Applicants for multistate licenses (students, workers, license-holders) may have FBI criminal history information used without their consent beyond the licensing decision, posing privacy risks and potential errors that could harm job or educational opportunities.
Restricting State licensing authorities from sharing CHRI even with other State entities or the Commission could hinder coordinated investigations, appeals, or oversight, potentially slowing due-process and complicating resolution of disputes about records.
Expanding delivery of FBI CHRI to State licensing authorities may increase administrative workload and processing costs for the FBI and State identification bureaus, creating added cost burdens for taxpayers and state governments.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires the FBI to provide criminal history records to state licensing authorities for interstate compact licensing checks and restricts further sharing of those records.
Requires the FBI to provide criminal history record information (CHRI) to State licensing authorities through a State law enforcement agency or State identification bureau when an interstate occupational licensing compact or its rules require a background check. Limits how recipients may use and re-share that CHRI, allowing the compact Commission only to be notified of completion and a binary satisfactory/unsatisfactory result, and defines key terms used in the provision.
Official title: To authorize the use of Federal Bureau of Investigation criminal history record information for administration of certain licenses.
Introduced March 25, 2025 by Tracey Mann · Last progress March 25, 2025