§587. Duty to provide information; processing fees; Louisiana Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information

A.(1)(a) The bureau shall make available upon request, or at such other times as the deputy secretary shall designate, to any eligible criminal justice agency and the Louisiana Department of Health, the state fire marshal when reviewing applications for licensure, the Department of Children and Family Services, the Department of Insurance, the Louisiana State Racing Commission, the Senate and Governmental Affairs Committee, the House and Governmental Affairs Committee, the secretary of the Louisiana Workforce Commission or his designee, the Board of River Port Pilot Commissioners, the Office of Financial Institutions in the office of the governor, the office of the disciplinary counsel of the Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board of the Louisiana State Bar Association; however, as to any licensed attorney such information shall be provided only after the issuance of a formal charge against the attorney, the Louisiana Supreme Court Committee on Bar Admissions, the municipal or parish department or personnel responsible for reviewing applications for alcoholic beverage outlet permits, and the legislative auditor any information contained in the criminal history record and identification files of the bureau. The Department of Children and Family Services may provide information secured pursuant to this Subsection to all federal and state agencies providing child support enforcement services.

(b) The Louisiana State Board of Private Security Examiners shall be entitled to the criminal history record and identification files of the bureau on those persons seeking to be licensed as private security guards as a means of performing background checks on those individuals. A fee of twenty-six dollars shall be charged for furnishing said records.

(c) The Louisiana State Board of Private Investigator Examiners shall be entitled to the criminal history record and identification files of the bureau on those persons seeking to be licensed or relicensed as private investigators as a means of performing background checks on those individuals. A fee of twenty-six dollars shall be charged for furnishing said records. The bureau shall, upon request and after receipt of fingerprint cards or other identifying information from the Louisiana State Board of Private Investigator Examiners, make available to the board information contained in the bureau's criminal history record and identification files, which pertains to an applicant of the board. In addition, in order to determine an applicant's eligibility or suitability for licensure under the provisions of the Private Investigators Law (R.S. 37:3501 et seq.), each applicant shall be fingerprinted and the fingerprints shall be forwarded by the bureau to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a national criminal history record check.

(d) The office of state police shall be entitled to the criminal history record and identification files of the bureau on those persons seeking a medical or security exemption from the window tinting regulations of motor vehicles as provided for in R.S. 32:361.2. Prior to the release of such information by the bureau, the office of state police shall present a written consent on a form approved by the Louisiana Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information and signed by the applicant authorizing the release of such information.

(e)(i) The office of motor vehicles shall be entitled to the criminal history record and identification files of the bureau of any person who is required to register as a sex offender pursuant to R.S. 15:542 et seq., who is seeking a driver's license or required to obtain a special identification card pursuant to R.S. 40:1321(J).

(ii) The office of motor vehicles shall submit fingerprint cards or other identifying information of the principal of any third-party tester or examiner who has or is seeking a contract to administer commercial driving examinations and tests pursuant to R.S. 32:408.1 to the bureau. The bureau shall, upon request and after receipt of fingerprint cards or other identifying information from the office of motor vehicles, make available to the office of motor vehicles all arrest and conviction information contained in the bureau's criminal history record and identification files which pertain to the principal. In addition, in order to determine a principal's eligibility or suitability, the fingerprints shall be forwarded by the bureau to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a national criminal history record check.

(iii) The office of motor vehicles may submit fingerprint cards or other identifying information of a person seeking employment with the office of motor vehicles whose duties will include the issuance of commercial driver's licenses or any current office of motor vehicles employee who as part of his employment issues commercial driver's licenses. The bureau shall, upon request and after receipt of fingerprint cards or other identifying information from the office of motor vehicles, make available to the office of motor vehicles all arrest and conviction information contained in the bureau's criminal history record and identification files which pertain to the employee or potential employee. In addition, in order to determine an employee or potential employee's eligibility or suitability, the fingerprints shall be forwarded by the bureau to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a national criminal history record check.

(iv) The office of motor vehicles shall submit fingerprint cards or other identifying information to the bureau of any person who applies to be an auto title company or a public license tag agent pursuant to R.S. 32:735 et seq. and R.S. 47:532.1 and of any person who works for any such business who will process transactions for the office of motor vehicles. Upon request and after receipt of fingerprint cards or other identifying information from the office of motor vehicles, the bureau shall provide any arrest and conviction information contained in the bureau's criminal history record and identification files for the principal of such applicants. Additionally, the bureau shall forward the fingerprints of such applicants' principal to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a national criminal history record check. Fingerprint cards shall be submitted to the bureau pursuant to this Item only upon initial application and shall not be required to be submitted annually. After initial fingerprints are submitted pursuant to this Item, the arrest and conviction record for the principal of any such public license tag agent, the principal of any such auto title company, or person who works for any such business who will process transactions for the office of motor vehicles shall be monitored in the same manner the arrest and conviction record is monitored for employees of the office of motor vehicles.

(v) The office of motor vehicles shall submit fingerprint cards or other identifying information to the bureau of any person who applies to or contracts with the office of motor vehicles to handle or process any transaction or inquiry. Upon request and after receipt of fingerprint cards or other identifying information from the office of motor vehicles, the bureau shall provide to such office any arrest and conviction information contained in the bureau's criminal history record and identification files for the principal of such applicants or contractors. Additionally, the bureau shall forward the fingerprints of such applicant or contractor's principal to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a national criminal history record check. Fingerprint cards shall be submitted to the bureau pursuant to this Item only upon initial application and shall not be required to be submitted annually. After initial fingerprints are submitted pursuant to this Item, the arrest and conviction record for any person who contracts with the office of motor vehicles to handle or process any transaction or inquiry shall be monitored in the same manner the arrest and conviction record is monitored for employees of the office of motor vehicles.

(f)(i) If the request for information and records is made to the bureau by any eligible criminal justice agency, the bureau shall include in its report any information concerning arrests and convictions of an individual, including convictions in which a judgment of dismissal of the prosecution was granted pursuant to the provisions of Articles 893 and 894 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

(ii)(aa) When an individual's record contains information which has been expunged, the bureau shall include in its report to the requesting entity the date of the arrest and a notation that the individual's record contains information which has been expunged and that the requesting entity may contact the bureau in order to obtain further information regarding the expunged information.

(bb) The bureau shall establish policies and procedures by which the entities enumerated in this Subparagraph may be furnished with expunged information. These policies and procedures shall not require the requesting entity to personally appear at the office of the bureau in order to obtain access to the expunged information.

(cc) The requesting entity, upon receiving the expunged information, shall maintain the confidentiality of the information as provided by law, and the expunged information shall not be deemed a public record.

(dd) The information may be used or admitted as evidence in any court proceeding or employment or disciplinary hearing in which the receiving agency is an authorized participant.

(g)(i) The Louisiana Supreme Court Committee on Bar Admissions shall be entitled to the criminal history record and identification files of the bureau for those persons seeking to participate in the bar examination as a means of performing background checks on those individuals. The bureau shall charge a processing fee as provided in Paragraph (B)(1) of this Section for conducting and reporting on these background checks.

(ii) The bureau shall, upon request and after receipt of fingerprint cards or other identifying information from the Louisiana Supreme Court Committee on Bar Admissions, make available to the committee all arrest and conviction information contained in the bureau's criminal history record and identification files, which pertains to an applicant for the bar examination. In addition, in order to determine an applicant's eligibility or suitability for participating in the examination, each applicant shall be fingerprinted, and the fingerprints shall be forwarded by the bureau to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a national criminal history record check.

(h) The Department of Revenue shall be entitled to the criminal history record and identification files of the bureau of any person who is required to qualify and register for the Public Registry of Motion Picture Investor Tax Credit Brokers pursuant to R.S. 47:6007(C)(7). Fingerprints and other identifying information of the applicant shall be submitted to the bureau for qualification and registry and the bureau shall, upon request of the Department of Revenue and after receipt of such fingerprint card and other identifying information from the applicant, make available to the Department of Revenue all arrest and conviction information contained in the bureau's criminal history record and identification files which pertain to the applicant for qualification and registry. In addition, the fingerprints shall be forwarded by the bureau to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a national criminal history record check.

(i) The Louisiana Department of Health shall be entitled to criminal history record and identification files of the bureau of any person or owner of an entity with a five percent or more ownership interest who has applied to enroll as a Medicaid provider pursuant to 42 CFR 455.434. Fingerprints and other identifying information of the applicant shall be submitted to the bureau for qualification and the bureau shall, upon request of the department and after receipt of such fingerprint card and other identifying information from the applicant, make available to the department all arrest and conviction information contained in the bureau's criminal history record and identification files which pertain to the applicant for qualification. The fingerprints shall also be forwarded by the bureau to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a national criminal history check.

(2)(a) The bureau, in accordance with its powers to regulate and to enforce provisions herein, may further restrict those agencies eligible to receive information. However, the bureau shall make available to the Department of Children and Family Services all criminal history record information as defined in R.S. 15:576 related to foster and adoptive parent applicants and adult members of foster and adoptive parent households; parents whose children have been removed from their custody; parents or caretakers involved in investigations of abuse or neglect; potential caretakers of a child who is either in the custody of the department, is the subject of an investigation of abuse or neglect, or is or has been receiving services through the office of children and family services; and potential employees of the department whose duties include the investigation of child abuse or neglect, the supervisory or disciplinary authority over children, direct care of a child, or performance of licensing surveys. For the purposes of this Section, the bureau shall employ such methods and procedures and shall observe such duty hours as to provide information upon request within forty-eight hours from its receipt.

(b) The bureau shall facilitate national criminal history record checks of prospective foster and adoptive parent applicants and adult members of foster and adoptive parent households; parents whose children have been removed from their custody; parents or caretakers involved in investigations of abuse or neglect; potential caretakers of a child who is either in the custody of the department, is the subject of an investigation of abuse or neglect, or is or has been receiving services through the office of children and family services; and potential employees of the department whose duties include the investigation of child abuse or neglect, the supervisory or disciplinary authority over children, direct care of a child, or performance of licensing surveys by receiving and forwarding fingerprint cards to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Department of Children and Family Services is authorized to receive and screen the results of the state and national criminal history record checks in order to determine foster or adoptive parent applicants' eligibility for certification or recertification as a placement resource for children; to assist in the determination of the appropriateness of a parent or potential caregiver as a placement resource for a child; to assess the situation for safety issues and risks to the child and worker; and to assess the qualifications of a potential department employee. The department shall maintain the confidentiality of criminal history information received in accordance with applicable federal or state law.

(c) During an emergency situation when a child must be removed from his home due to exigent circumstances and placed in the home of an individual, the department may request that a criminal justice agency perform a national name-based criminal history record check of each adult residing in that home. The results of the name-based criminal history record check may be provided to the department, which shall then provide a complete set of each adult resident's fingerprints to the bureau for the immediate submission to the Federal Bureau of Investigation within twelve calendar days from the date the name-based criminal history record check search was conducted. The bureau shall either positively identify the fingerprint subject or forward the fingerprints to the Federal Bureau of Investigation within fifteen calendar days from the date the name-based criminal history record check search was conducted. The child shall be removed from the home immediately if any adult resident fails to provide such fingerprints or written permission to perform a federal criminal history record check when requested to do so. As used in this Section, the emergency placement of a child is limited to those instances when the department is placing a child in the home of private individuals, including but not limited to neighbors, friends, or relatives, as a result of a situation where the child's removal is necessary to secure the child's protection, or the sudden unavailability or incapacity of the child's primary caretaker to care for the child.

(d) When placement of a child in a home is denied as a result of a name-based criminal history record check of a resident and the resident contests that denial, each such resident shall, within five business days, submit to the department a complete set of the resident's fingerprints with written permission allowing the department to forward the fingerprints to the bureau for submission to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

B.(1) The bureau may charge a processing fee of twenty-six dollars for information provided to any agency or entity statutorily eligible to receive this information, except another state or local law enforcement agency, pursuant to a request to assist the agency in performing a screening function as part of any regulatory or licensing scheme. Payment of the processing fee shall accompany the request for such information and shall be deposited by the bureau immediately upon receipt into the Criminal Identification and Information Fund.

(2) The bureau may charge a processing fee of ten dollars for fingerprinting of any individual. Payment of the processing fee shall accompany the request for fingerprinting and shall be deposited by the bureau immediately upon receipt into the Criminal Identification and Information Fund.

C. The bureau shall, upon request and after receipt of fingerprint cards or other identifying information from the state police, make available to the state police gaming division, the Louisiana Riverboat Gaming Commission, and the Louisiana Economic Development and Gaming Corporation, information contained in the bureau's criminal history record and identification files, which pertains to an applicant or prospective employee of any of them. In addition, in order to determine an applicant's suitability for a gaming or employee license under the provisions of the Louisiana Video Draw Poker Devices Control Law (R.S. 27:401 et seq.), the Louisiana Riverboat Economic Development and Gaming Control Act (R.S. 27:41 et seq.), the Louisiana Economic Development and Gaming Corporation Act (R.S. 27:201 et seq.), the Louisiana Regulation of Gaming Equipment Law (R.S. 47:7001 et seq.), and the Regulation of Charitable Gaming Law (R.S. 40:1485.1 et seq.), each applicant shall be fingerprinted and the fingerprints shall be forwarded to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a national criminal history record check.

D. Any local law enforcement agency, any Louisiana public higher education institution which employs full-time police officers commissioned by the Louisiana State Police, or sheriff may conduct any screening function conducted by the bureau, except those screening functions conducted for entities regulated by any office of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, and also may charge a reasonable processing fee of not more than fifteen dollars per inquiry for information provided. When a sheriff conducts the screening, five dollars of the processing fee shall be remitted to the Louisiana Sheriffs' Association for the operation of the Louisiana Civil and Criminal Information Network (LACCIE). The provisions of this Subsection shall also apply to any screening function provided for in R.S. 15:587.1.

E. Any sheriff conducting a screening function pursuant to Subsection D of this Section which requires the submission of fingerprints by electronic means shall collect the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information state fingerprint processing fee of twenty-six dollars and, if required, the federal fingerprint processing fee at the time of the fingerprint collection. The local law enforcement agency shall timely remit the processing fees to the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information.

F.(1) An employer or his representative shall be entitled to obtain conviction records of an applicant seeking employment, directly from the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information in order to further qualify the applicant for the position being sought, if the applicant has signed a consent form authorizing the employer to obtain such conviction records. Upon written request and upon presentation of a consent form prepared by the bureau and executed by the applicant, the bureau shall provide conviction records of the applicant to the employer or his representative in a timely manner. In addition, each applicant shall be fingerprinted, and the fingerprints shall be forwarded by the bureau to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a national criminal history check. Records obtained pursuant to the provisions of this Subsection shall not include those records which have been ordered expunged pursuant to R.S. 44:9. The provisions of Subsection B of this Section shall apply to any request made pursuant to this Subsection. The bureau shall not be liable civilly or criminally for the release of information released pursuant to the provisions of this Subsection.

(2)(a) Upon receiving a request pursuant to the provisions of this Subsection, the bureau shall simultaneously request criminal history from the Corrections and Justice Unified Network (CAJUN) maintained by the Department of Public Safety and Corrections via the Louisiana Civil and Criminal Information Exchange (LACCIE) network maintained by the Louisiana Sheriffs' Association.

(b) Fingerprints provided pursuant to this Subsection shall be submitted to the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information in an electronic format.

(c) The provisions of this Paragraph shall become effective upon the establishment of an electronic method of performing such requests for criminal history.

G. Pursuant to approval of the local housing authority's board of commissioners, acting through one or more of its commissioners or other designees, a local housing authority may obtain criminal history record and identification file of any person applying for public housing if the applicant has signed a consent form authorizing the release of such criminal history records and identification. Upon written request and upon presentation of a signed consent form executed by the applicant, the bureau shall provide the criminal history record of and identification file information of the applicant to the requestor in a timely manner. For the purposes of this Subsection "conviction records" shall include only those records which are electronically maintained by the bureau, and are records of a finding of guilty, a plea of guilty or nolo contendere, including those which have been set aside or dismissed pursuant to Code of Criminal Procedure Article 893 or 894, or for which an individual has received an automatic first offender pardon. It shall not include those records which have been ordered expunged pursuant to R.S. 44:9. The provisions of Subsection B of this Section shall apply to any request made pursuant to this Subsection.

H.(1) The Volunteer Louisiana Commission and the recipient of any federal AmeriCorps funds administered by the Volunteer Louisiana Commission shall be entitled to the criminal history record and identification files maintained by the bureau for any applicant seeking to serve in a program that receives assistance under the national service laws to determine whether the applicant meets the eligibility requirements set forth in the Serve America Act, Public Law 111-13, and any associated federal regulations.

(2) In addition to the information provided for in Paragraph (1) of this Subsection, the Volunteer Louisiana Commission shall be entitled to any national criminal history information maintained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for any applicant seeking to serve in a program that receives assistance under the national service laws.

(3)(a) Upon receiving a written request, which shall include fingerprint cards or other identifying information for the applicant and a consent form signed by the applicant authorizing the criminal background check, the bureau shall survey its criminal history records and identification files.

(b) If requested by the Volunteer Louisiana Commission pursuant to Paragraph (2) of this Subsection, the bureau shall make a simultaneous request of the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a national criminal history record check.

(4) The bureau shall present the requested information promptly and in writing to the requesting entity and shall charge the requesting entity the cost of providing such information pursuant to Subsection B of this Section.

(5) The requesting entity shall maintain the confidentiality of the information received in accordance with applicable federal and state laws.

Acts 1981, No. 449, §1, eff. July 1, 1981; Acts 1985, No. 941, §1, eff. July 23, 1985; Acts 1986, No. 651, §1; Acts 1987, No. 312, §1; Acts 1987, No. 810, §1; Acts 1990, No. 56, §1, eff. June 26, 1990; Acts 1992, No. 576, §1; Acts 1992, No. 984, §18; Acts 1993, No. 676, §1, eff. June 21, 1993; Acts 1993, No. 678, §1, eff. June 21, 1993; Acts 1993, No. 717, §1; Acts 1995, No. 1171, §1; Acts 1997, No. 334, §1; Acts 1997, No. 901, §1, eff. July 1, 1997; Acts 1997, No. 1067, §1; Acts 1997, No. 1172, §3, eff. June 30, 1997; Acts 1997, No. 1349, §1; Acts 1998, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 137, §1, eff. May 5, 1998; Acts 2001, No. 8, §5, eff. July 1, 2001; Acts 2002, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 118, §1, eff. April 23, 2002; Acts 2003, No. 796, §1; Acts 2003, No. 896, §1, eff. July 1, 2003; Acts 2003, No. 1083, §1, eff. July 2, 2003; Acts 2004, No. 103, §1, eff. May 28, 2004; Acts 2004, No. 911, §1; Acts 2004, No. 922, §2, eff. July 12, 2004; Acts 2005, No. 238, §1; Acts 2006, No. 663, §1; Acts 2008, No. 743, §7, eff. July 1, 2008; Acts 2009, No. 221, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2010; Acts 2009, No. 277, §1; Acts 2010, No. 355, §1; Acts 2010, No. 781, §1; Acts 2010, No. 833, §1; Acts 2011, No. 252, §1; Acts 2011, No. 283, §1; Acts 2012, No. 455, §1; Acts 2013, No. 4, §1; Acts 2015, No. 451, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2016; Acts 2016, No. 311, §1, eff. June 2, 2016; Acts 2016, No. 453, §1, eff. June 9, 2016; Acts 2017, No. 32, §1.