H-0912.1 _______________________________________________
HOUSE BILL 1707
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State of Washington 57th Legislature 2001 Regular Session
By Representatives Hurst, Roach, Ballasiotes, Lovick, Mielke, Quall, Carrell, O'Brien, Veloria, Poulsen, Dunshee and Haigh
Read first time 02/01/2001. Referred to Committee on Higher Education.
AN ACT Relating to criminal history records check of prospective employees of institutions of higher education; adding a new section to chapter 28B.10 RCW; and creating a new section.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that the safety of minors is of paramount importance. In the past, the legislature passed laws providing for background checks for employees and volunteers in the K-12 schools. The legislature finds that high school students participating in the running start program at a public institution of higher education do not receive the same protections as they receive in their high school.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 28B.10 RCW to read as follows:
(1) Institutions of higher education shall perform a fingerprint-based criminal history records check for conviction records through the Washington state patrol criminal identification system for the purpose of conducting preemployment evaluations of new employees who will have unsupervised contact with minors.
(2) If a prospective new employee has resided in the state of Washington for fewer than three years, a fingerprint-based criminal history records check for conviction records shall be conducted through the federal bureau of investigation.
(3) When necessary, the prospective new employee may be employed on a conditional basis pending the completion of the investigation.
(4) If the prospective new employee has had a criminal history records check by the Washington state patrol or the federal bureau of investigation within the previous two years, the institution of higher education may waive the requirement.
(5) The institution of higher education shall provide a copy of the record report to the prospective employee.
(6) The higher education coordinating board shall establish a list of criminal offenses that will disqualify a prospective employee from being hired by the institution of higher education. The conviction must be for a felony committed within the past ten years.
(7) The fees associated with the criminal history records check shall be paid by the requesting institution of higher education.
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