HLS 10RS-803 ENGROSSED Page 1 of 5 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions. Regular Session, 2010 HOUSE BILL NO. 180 BY REPRESENTATIVES ROY AND POPE CRIMINAL/RECORDS: Amends provisions regarding criminal background checks AN ACT1 To amend and reenact R.S. 15:587.1(B) and R.S. 44:9(F), (G), and (I) and to enact R.S.2 15:587(A)(1)(f), relative to criminal records; to amend provisions regarding criminal3 background checks; to provide entities with access to criminal history information;4 to provide for the type of information available to those entities; to provide for5 confidentiality; and to provide for related matters.6 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:7 Section 1. R.S. 15:587.1(B) is hereby amended and reenacted and R.S.8 15:587(A)(1)(f) is hereby enacted to read as follows:9 §587. Duty to provide information; processing fees; Louisiana Bureau of Criminal10 Identification and Information11 A.(1)12 * * *13 (f)(i) If the request for information and records is made to the bureau by any14 eligible criminal justice agency, the office of the attorney general, any district15 attorney's office, or any person or entity requesting criminal records information16 pursuant to R.S. 15:587.1, the bureau shall include in its report to the requesting17 entity the date of the arrest and a notation that the individual's record contains18 information which has been expunged and that the bureau may be contacted by the19 HLS 10RS-803 ENGROSSED HB NO. 180 Page 2 of 5 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions. requesting entity in order to obtain further information regarding the expunged1 material.2 (ii) The bureau shall establish policies and procedures by which the agencies3 enumerated in this Paragraph may be furnished with the expunged information. The4 established policies and procedures shall not require the requesting entity to5 personally appear at the office of the bureau in order to obtain access to the6 expunged information.7 (iii) The requesting entity, upon receiving the expunged information, shall8 maintain the confidentiality of the information as provided by law and the expunged9 information shall not be deemed a public record.10 (iv) The information may be used or admitted as evidence in any court11 proceeding or employment or disciplinary hearing in which the receiving agency is12 an authorized participant.13 * * *14 §587.1. Provision of information to protect children15 * * *16 B. Upon receiving a request pursuant to the provisions of R.S. 17:15, and17 R.S. 46:51.2 when authorized by R.S. 15:587, that meets the requirements of18 Subsection A of this Section, the bureau of criminal identification and information19 shall survey its criminal history records and identification files and make a20 simultaneous request of the Federal Bureau of Investigation for like information21 from other jurisdictions. The bureau of criminal identification and information shall22 provide a report promptly and in writing, but provide only such information as is23 necessary to specify whether or not that person has been arrested for or convicted of24 or pled nolo contendere to any crime or crimes, the crime or crimes of which he has25 been arrested for or convicted or to which he has pled nolo contendere, and the date26 or dates on which they occurred. The report provided pursuant to the provisions of27 this Subsection shall include arrests, convictions, or other dispositions, including28 convictions dismissed pursuant to Code of Criminal Procedure Articles 893 and 894,29 HLS 10RS-803 ENGROSSED HB NO. 180 Page 3 of 5 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions. notwithstanding the entry of any judgment of expungement pursuant to R.S. 44:9 or1 any other provision which provides for expungement.2 * * *3 Section 2. R.S. 44:9(F), (G), and (I) are hereby amended and reenacted to read as4 follows:5 §9. Records of violations of municipal ordinances and of state statutes classified as6 a misdemeanor or felony7 * * *8 F. For investigative purposes only, the Department of Public Safety and9 Corrections may maintain a confidential, nonpublic record of the arrest and10 disposition. The information contained in this record may be released, upon Upon11 specific request therefor and on a confidential basis, the information contained in this12 record may be released to the following entities who shall maintain the13 confidentiality of such record: to any law enforcement agency, criminal justice14 agency, the office of the attorney general, any district attorney's office, the Louisiana15 State Board of Medical Examiners, the Louisiana State Board of Nursing, the16 Louisiana State Board of Dentistry, the Louisiana State Board of Examiners of17 Psychologists, the Emergency Medical Services Certification Commission,18 Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board, Office of Disciplinary Counsel, or the19 Louisiana Supreme Court Committee on Bar Admissions, or any person or entity20 requesting a record of all criminal arrests and convictions pursuant to R.S. 15:587.1.21 The receiving law enforcement agency, criminal justice agency, the Louisiana State22 Board of Medical Examiners, the Louisiana State Board of Nursing, the Louisiana23 State Board of Dentistry, the Louisiana State Board of Examiners of Psychologists,24 the Emergency Medical Services Certification Commission, the Louisiana Attorney25 Disciplinary Board, Office of Disciplinary Counsel, or the Louisiana Supreme Court26 Committee on Bar Admissions shall maintain the confidentiality of such record.27 G. "Expungement" means removal of a record from public access but does28 not mean destruction of the record. An expunged record is confidential, but remains29 HLS 10RS-803 ENGROSSED HB NO. 180 Page 4 of 5 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions. available for use by law enforcement agencies, criminal justice agencies, the office1 of the attorney general, any district attorney's office, the Louisiana State Board of2 Medical Examiners, the Louisiana State Board of Nursing, the Louisiana State Board3 of Dentistry, the Louisiana State Board of Examiners of Psychologists, the4 Emergency Medical Services Certification Commission, the Louisiana Attorney5 Disciplinary Board, Office of Disciplinary Counsel, or the Louisiana Supreme Court6 Committee on Bar Admissions, or any person or entity requesting a record of all7 criminal arrests and convictions pursuant to R.S. 15:587.1.8 * * *9 I. Except to those agencies entities listed in Subsection G of this Section, no10 person whose record of arrest and conviction has been expunged pursuant to the11 provisions of this Section shall be required to disclose that he was arrested or12 convicted for the subject offense or that the record of the arrest and conviction has13 been expunged, unless otherwise provided in this Section.14 * * *15 DIGEST The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)] Roy HB No. 180 Abstract: Provides access to criminal history information to certain entities and agencies and provides for procedures by which that information is provided to the requesting entity. Present law requires the bureau of criminal identification and information to provide criminal history information to certain entities. Present law provides for the release of confidential, nonpublic information for investigative purposes to the following: law enforcement agencies, criminal justice agencies, the La. State Board of Medical Examiners, the La. State Board of Nursing, the La. State Board of Dentistry, the La. State Board of Examiners of Psychologists, the Emergency Medical Services Certification Commission, the La. Attorney Disciplinary Board, Office of Disciplinary Counsel, and the La. Supreme Court Committee on Bar Admissions. Further requires these entities to keep the information confidential. Proposed law retains present law and adds the following to the list of entities who have access to such information: (1)The office of the attorney general. HLS 10RS-803 ENGROSSED HB NO. 180 Page 5 of 5 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions. (2)Any district attorney's office. (3)Any person requesting a record of all criminal arrests and convictions pursuant to R.S. 15:587.1. Present law requires criminal background checks to be conducted on persons applying for a position of supervisory or disciplinary authority over children. Proposed law requires the bureau the establish policies and procedures by which expunged information may be accessed by the following entities: any eligible criminal justice agency, the office of the attorney general, any district attorney's office, or any person or entity requesting criminal records information pursuant to R.S. 15:587.1. Proposed law further requires these entities to maintain confidentiality of the criminal history information, and allows them to use the information or admit the information into evidence in any court proceeding or employment or disciplinary proceeding in which the entity is an authorized participant. (Amends R.S. 15:587.1(B) and R.S. 44:9(F), (G), and (I); Adds R.S. 15:587(A)(1)(f)) Summary of Amendments Adopted by House Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice to the original bill. 1. Amended the procedures by which criminal history information is provided to the requesting entity.