(a) In counties having a population in excess of one hundred thousand (100,000), according to the 2000 federal census or any subsequent federal census, it is hereby declared that access to criminal conviction histories by municipalities that choose to license and regulate persons operating vehicles for hire, or choose to employ persons to transport members of the public, and further choose to disqualify an applicant for a license or a permit, or refuse to hire a person because of a conviction for any specified criminal offense serves a law enforcement purpose. Municipalities that choose to license and regulate persons operating vehicles for hire, or choose to employ persons to transport members of the public, and further choose to disqualify an applicant for a license or a permit, or refuse to hire a person because of a conviction for any specified criminal offense shall require that all applicants for a license or permit to operate a vehicle for hire or employ persons to transport citizens submit a full set of fingerprints and undergo a criminal conviction records investigation through the political subdivision, the Tennessee bureau of investigation or the federal bureau of investigation in accordance with subsection (b).

(b) Upon receipt of an application, the municipality shall:

(1) Conduct a criminal conviction record investigation through computer terminals or other means of access to criminal convictions maintained by the municipality, the Tennessee bureau of investigation and the federal bureau of investigation; and

(2) Forward the applicant's fingerprints to the Tennessee bureau of investigation, which shall verify the identity of the applicant and conduct a criminal conviction record investigation and forward the results of that investigation to the requesting entity.

(c) If no disqualifying record is identified at the political subdivision or state level, the Tennessee bureau of investigation shall forward the fingerprints to the federal bureau of investigation for verification of the applicant's identity and the federal bureau of investigation shall conduct a criminal conviction record investigation using the fingerprints.

(d) The results of criminal conviction record investigations shall be used for the limited purpose of determining the suitability of the applicant for issuance of the license or permit or the suitability of the person for employment with the municipality.

(e) Fingerprints shall be submitted on authorized fingerprint cards or by electronic, machine-readable data, or other suitable technological means.

(f) Any cost incurred in conducting such criminal conviction records investigations shall be paid by the governmental entity making the request. Governmental entities may include such cost as part of any fee charged for the processing of the applicant's license or permit.