FINAL BILL REPORT

HB 1852

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

Background:

School districts require new applicants who will have regularly scheduled unsupervised access to children to obtain a background record check through the Washington State Patrol (WSP) using fingerprints. Other employees, such as school secretaries and janitorial and maintenance staff, are not required to obtain such a check. As a practical matter, however, many school districts conduct background checks on all applicants.

There is an incremental fee schedule for record checks for classified and non-classified school employees. Under this fee schedule, private school employees, contractors, classified employees, and certification applicants are charged one fee ($60.25) while school district and educational service district employees are charged another fee ($50.25). The Joint Task Force on Criminal Background Check Processes (Task Force) was created during the 2004 legislative session. The purpose of the Task Force was to review and make recommendations regarding improving the state's criminal background check processes. The Task Force was extended and expanded through subsequent legislation in 2005 and 2006. In January 2007 the Task Force issued its final report, which included recommendations. One of the recommendations included eliminating incremental fees for background record checks to allow all school employees, contractors, and school district and educational district employees to pay the same fee.

Summary:

The requirement that the WSP charge only incremental fees for fingerprint-based background checks for school district and educational service district employees is eliminated. (All school employees and contractors must pay the same fee for a fingerprint-based criminal background check.)

Votes on Final Passage:

House	97	0
Senate	47	0