Z-0531

AN ACT Relating to criminal history background checks for potential state employees and contractors; amending RCW 43.43.832 and 43.20A.710; and declaring an emergency.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1. RCW 43.43.832 and 1997 c 392 s 524 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The legislature finds that businesses and organizations providing services to children, developmentally disabled persons, and vulnerable adults need adequate information to determine which employees or licensees to hire or engage. The legislature further finds that many developmentally disabled individuals and vulnerable adults desire to hire their own employees directly and also need adequate information to determine which employees or licensees to hire or engage. Therefore, the Washington state patrol criminal identification system shall disclose, upon the request of a business or organization as defined in RCW 43.43.830, a developmentally disabled person, or a vulnerable adult as defined in RCW 43.43.830 or his or her guardian, an applicant's record for convictions of offenses against children or other persons, convictions for crimes relating to financial exploitation, but only if the victim was a vulnerable adult, adjudications of child abuse in a civil action, the issuance of a protection order against the respondent under chapter 74.34 RCW, and disciplinary board final decisions and any subsequent criminal charges associated with the conduct that is the subject of the disciplinary board final decision.

(2) The legislature also finds that the state board of education may request of the Washington state patrol criminal identification system information regarding a certificate applicant's record for convictions under subsection (1) of this section.

(3) The legislature also finds that law enforcement agencies, the office of the attorney general, prosecuting authorities, and the department of social and health services may request this same information to aid in the investigation and prosecution of child, developmentally disabled person, and vulnerable adult abuse cases and to protect children and adults from further incidents of abuse.

(4) The legislature further finds that the department of social and health services must consider the information listed in subsection (1) of this section in the following circumstances:

(a) When considering persons for state positions ((~~directly responsible for the care, supervision, or treatment of~~)) involving unsupervised access to children, developmentally disabled persons, or vulnerable adults;

(b) When licensing agencies or facilities with individuals in positions directly responsible for the care, supervision, or treatment of children, developmentally disabled persons, or vulnerable adults, including but not limited to agencies or facilities licensed under chapter 74.15 or 18.51 RCW;

(c) When contracting with individuals or businesses or organizations ((~~for the care, supervision, or treatment of~~)) where the contractor or staff will have unsupervised access to children, developmentally disabled persons, or vulnerable adults, including but not limited to services contracted for under chapter 18.20, 18.48, 70.127, 70.128, 72.36, or 74.39A RCW or Title 71A RCW.

(5) Whenever a state conviction record check is required by state law, persons may be employed or engaged as volunteers or independent contractors on a conditional basis pending completion of the state background investigation. Whenever a national criminal record check through the federal bureau of investigation is required by state law, a person may be employed or engaged as a volunteer or independent contractor on a conditional basis pending completion of the national check. The Washington personnel resources board shall adopt rules to accomplish the purposes of this subsection as it applies to state employees.

(6)(a) For purposes of facilitating timely access to criminal background information and to reasonably minimize the number of requests made under this section, recognizing that certain health care providers change employment frequently, health care facilities may, upon request from another health care facility, share copies of completed criminal background inquiry information.

(b) Completed criminal background inquiry information may be shared by a willing health care facility only if the following conditions are satisfied: The licensed health care facility sharing the criminal background inquiry information is reasonably known to be the person's most recent employer, no more than twelve months has elapsed from the date the person was last employed at a licensed health care facility to the date of their current employment application, and the criminal background information is no more than two years old.

(c) If criminal background inquiry information is shared, the health care facility employing the subject of the inquiry must require the applicant to sign a disclosure statement indicating that there has been no conviction or finding as described in RCW 43.43.842 since the completion date of the most recent criminal background inquiry.

(d) Any health care facility that knows or has reason to believe that an applicant has or may have a disqualifying conviction or finding as described in RCW 43.43.842, subsequent to the completion date of their most recent criminal background inquiry, shall be prohibited from relying on the applicant's previous employer's criminal background inquiry information. A new criminal background inquiry shall be requested pursuant to RCW 43.43.830 through 43.43.842.

(e) Health care facilities that share criminal background inquiry information shall be immune from any claim of defamation, invasion of privacy, negligence, or any other claim in connection with any dissemination of this information in accordance with this subsection.

(f) Health care facilities shall transmit and receive the criminal background inquiry information in a manner that reasonably protects the subject's rights to privacy and confidentiality.

(g) For the purposes of this subsection, "health care facility" means a nursing home licensed under chapter 18.51 RCW, a boarding home licensed under chapter 18.20 RCW, or an adult family home licensed under chapter 70.128 RCW.

Sec. 2. RCW 43.20A.710 and 1997 c 392 s 525 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The secretary shall investigate the conviction records, pending charges or disciplinary board final decisions of:

(a) Persons being considered for state employment in positions ((~~directly responsible for the supervision, care, or treatment of~~)) involving unsupervised access to children or individuals with physical disabilities, mental illness, or developmental disabilities; and

(b) Individual providers who are paid by the state for in-home services and hired by individuals with physical disabilities, developmental disabilities, mental illness, or mental impairment, including but not limited to services provided under chapter 74.39A RCW.

(2) The investigation may include an examination of state and national criminal identification data. The secretary shall use the information solely for the purpose of determining the character, suitability, and competence of these applicants.

(3) The secretary shall provide the results of the state background check on individual providers to the individuals with physical disabilities, developmental disabilities, mental illness, or mental impairment or to their legal guardians, if any, for their determination of the character, suitability, and competence of the applicants. If an individual elects to hire or retain an individual provider after receiving notice from the department that the applicant has a conviction for an offense that would disqualify the applicant from employment with the department, then the secretary may deny payment for any subsequent services rendered by the disqualified individual provider.

(4) Criminal justice agencies shall provide the secretary such information as they may have and that the secretary may require for such purpose.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately.