(a) The Attorney General shall establish a communication network that allows the transmission of requests from private service providers in California to the Department of Justice for criminal offender record information for purposes of employment, licensing, certification, custodial child placement or adoption. The communication network shall allow any entity that is approved by the department to connect directly to the department.

(b) Users of the communication network shall undergo initial and remedial training as determined by the department. Failure or refusal to comply with the training requirement shall terminate the connection to the communication network until the training is completed. The scope of the training and the entities’ level of participation shall be determined by the department.

(c) Users of the communication network shall comply with any policy, practice, procedure, or requirement deemed necessary by the department to maintain network security and stability. Failure or refusal to comply shall terminate the connection to the communication network until the department determines that there is satisfactory compliance.

(d) Users of the communication network shall only use hardware and software in relation to or for connection to the communication network that is currently approved and certified by the department, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

(e) Users of the communication network shall be independently responsible for securing all hardware, software, and telecommunication service or linkage necessary to accomplish connection to the communication network, once they are authorized by the department.

(f) The communication network shall be implemented by July 1, 2004.

(g) Nothing in this section is intended to authorize any entity to access or receive criminal offender record information from the Department of Justice.

(Added by Stats. 2003, Ch. 470, Sec. 3. Effective January 1, 2004.)