BILL REQ. #:  S-0978.1 

Read first time 01/27/2005.   Referred to Committee on Human Services & Corrections.

     AN ACT Relating to creating a pilot program for live scan devices; creating a new section; and making an appropriation.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that the technology used for criminal history record information background checks for employment purposes are rapidly increasing in Washington. Live-scan is a means to electronically gather and transmit fingerprint data for background check purposes. Gathering fingerprints electronically not only reduces the number of rejected fingerprints by improving the accuracy and quality of prints, but it also reduces the turnaround time for gathering criminal background checks for perspective employees.
     The legislature has learned that live-scan technology is currently limited in the state for noncriminal justice purposes. There are no public or private sector fingerprinting service centers to accommodate individuals applying for noncriminal justice employment or licensing. The legislature further finds that creating a pilot program, by strategically placing several live-scan devices in government offices throughout the state, will help employers and prospective employees to more easily gather and transmit data for noncriminal justice purposes.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   The amount of two hundred seventy thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the state general fund for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2006, to the superintendent of public instruction. The amount in this section is provided solely to purchase a live-scan device for each educational service district, to be used for noncriminal justice purposes.