Title: An act relating to record checks for employees and applicants for employment at bureau of Indian affairs-funded schools.

Brief Description: Regarding checks for employees of bureau of Indian affairs-funded schools.

Sponsors: Senators Keiser, Roach and Kohl-Welles.

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Early Learning, K-12 & Higher Education: 2/1/06 [DP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON EARLY LEARNING, K-12 & HIGHER EDUCATION

Majority Report: Do pass.Signed by Senators McAuliffe, Chair; Pridemore, Vice Chair, Higher Education; Schmidt, Ranking Minority Member; Berkey, Carrell, Delvin, Eide, Kohl-Welles, Pflug, Rasmussen, Rockefeller, Schoesler and Shin.

Staff: Ingrid Mungia (786-7423)

Background: Washington State Patrol and FBI background checks

State statutes authorize the Washington State Patrol to release criminal history information to non-criminal justice entities. The information released and to whom the information will be released depends on the status of the requestor. Additionally, state statutes permit a fingerprint record check through the Federal Bureau of Investigation for educator certification and for employees who will have regularly scheduled unsupervised access to children.

Under the federal Criminal Records Privacy Act, any person may request a record of convictions. These records are released without restriction and without notice to the subject of the record. The records released include all state of Washington convictions and any arrests within the past year if the arrest's disposition is still pending.

Under the federal Child and Adult Abuse Information Act, only certain entities may request information. These agencies include: (1) businesses or organizations licensed in the state of Washington; (2) state agencies; and (3) any other government entities that, among other things, educate children under 16 years of age. Public and private schools are allowed access to records under both this act and the Criminal Records Privacy Act.

Background check requirements for tribally controlled schools

In 1990, Congress passed the Federal Indian Child Protection and Family Violence Prevention Act (Act) to protect children on Indian reservations. Under the Act, every tribally controlled school that receives federal funding must conduct background investigations of each employee or volunteer who has regular contact with or control over Indian children. The background investigation must cover at least the immediately preceding five year period. Every tribal school employee who has regular contact with or control over Indian children must be reinvestigated every five years. The tribal school may conduct its own investigations, contract with a private firm, or request that the United States Office of Personnel Management conduct the investigation.

The tribal school must deny employment or dismiss any employee with control over or contact with children if the employee has been found guilty of or entered a plea of guilty or nolo contendere to any Federal, state, or tribal offense involving a crime of (1) violence, (2) sexual assault, (3) sexual molestation, (4) child exploitation, (5) sexual contact, (6) prostitution, or (7) crimes against persons.

Currently, Washington tribal schools check records of prospective employees in various ways. Some contract with local public school districts to run the tribal school's checks. Others have historically asked the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to run their background checks.

Summary of Bill: The Federal Bureau of Indian Affairs-funded schools may use record checks through the Washington State Patrol criminal identification system and through the Federal Bureau of Investigation for employees and applicants for employment. The costs incurred for running such checks will be the responsibility of the requesting entity.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: No.

Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For: Bureau of Indian Affairs-funded schools would like the opportunity to do background checks on prospective employees. This is a common sense bill. We need to have safe schools for our students and community.

Testimony Against: None

Who Testified: PRO: Rick Jenson, Muckleshoot Tribe; Mike Moran, Quileute Tribe & Samish Tribe; Leo LeClair, Muckleshoot Tribe.