(a) (1) If, in the course of performing a criminal history background investigation for an agency or entity statutorily authorized to receive a criminal history, the Department of Justice determines that it appears that the applicant has criminal history record information that the requesting agency is statutorily authorized to receive, but the identity of the applicant cannot be verified with fingerprints, the department shall provide a copy of the criminal history record to the requesting agency or entity but shall note any entries as to which the identity of the subject has not been fingerprint verified.

(2) The department shall compare all available identifying characteristics of the applicant with those that appear in the criminal history information before responding to the requesting agency or entity with conviction disposition information that has not been fingerprint verified.

(b) If an agency or entity denies a license, certificate, or employment based upon information received from the department that is not fingerprint verified, the agency or entity shall notify the applicant of its decision and that he or she may challenge the identification. In that case, the applicant may appeal the decision of the agency or entity on the grounds that the applicant is not the person so identified.

(c) Neither the department nor any of its employees or any requesting agency or entity shall be liable to any applicant for misidentifications made pursuant to this section.

(Added by Stats. 2000, Ch. 623, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2001. Operative July 1, 2002, by Sec. 2 of Ch. 623.)