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Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter
S. 456
STATUS INFORMATION
General Bill
Sponsors: Senators Alexander and Senn
Document Path: l:\s-res\tca\008fing.kmm.tca.docx
Introduced in the Senate on January 13, 2021
Introduced in the House on April 6, 2021
Last Amended on March 17, 2021
Currently residing in the House Committee on Judiciary
Summary: SLED
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS
Date Body Action Description with journal page number
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1/13/2021 Senate Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 2)
1/13/2021 Senate Referred to Committee on Judiciary
(Senate Journal-page 2)
3/1/2021 Senate Referred to Subcommittee: Talley (ch), Hutto, Matthews,
Climer, Senn, Cash, Harpootlian
3/10/2021 Senate Committee report: Favorable with amendment Judiciary
(Senate Journal-page 8)
3/17/2021 Senate Committee Amendment Adopted (Senate Journal-page 220)
3/17/2021 Senate Read second time (Senate Journal-page 20)
3/17/2021 Senate Roll call Ayes-45 Nays-0 (Senate Journal-page 20)
3/23/2021 Senate Read third time and sent to House
(Senate Journal-page 11)
4/6/2021 House Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 127)
4/6/2021 House Referred to Committee on Judiciary
(House Journal-page 127)
View the latest legislative information at the website
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ADOPTED
March 17, 2021
S. 456
S. Printed 3/17/21--S.
Read the first time January 13, 2021.
TO AMEND ARTICLE 1, CHAPTER 3, TITLE 23 OF THE 1976 CODE, RELATING TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA LAW ENFORCEMENT DIVISION, BY ADDING SECTION 23-3-90, TO PROVIDE THAT AN AGENCY AUTHORIZED TO REQUEST A STATE FINGERPRINT BACKGROUND CHECK MAY REQUEST A FEDERAL FINGERPRINT BACKGROUND CHECK, TO PROVIDE THAT THE SOUTH CAROLINA LAW ENFORCEMENT DIVISION, UPON REQUEST, MAY SUBMIT THE FINGERPRINTS COLLECTED BY AGENCIES AND INFORMATION RELATED TO THOSE PRINTS TO THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION'S NEXT GENERATION IDENTIFICATION PROGRAM, TO PROVIDE THAT THE SOUTH CAROLINA LAW ENFORCEMENT DIVISION AND THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION MAY RETAIN COLLECTED FINGERPRINTS AND SEARCH ANY RETAINED FINGERPRINTS AT A LATER DATE PURSUANT TO AN APPROPRIATE INQUIRY, AND TO PROVIDE THAT THE SOUTH CAROLINA LAW ENFORCEMENT DIVISION MAY CHARGE A REASONABLE FEE FOR THE COLLECTION AND RETENTION OF FINGERPRINTS.
Amend Title To Conform
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. Article 1, Chapter 3, Title 23 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"Section 23-3-90. (A) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, if an agency in this State is authorized by statute to obtain a fingerprint-based background check on an individual applicant for employment or licensure, the applicant shall undergo a state criminal records check, supported by fingerprints, by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), and a national criminal records check, supported by fingerprints, by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The results of these criminal records checks must be reported to the agency and must not be further disseminated. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division is authorized to retain the fingerprints for certification purposes and for notification of the agency regarding criminal charges.
(B)(1) SLED, upon request by the agency, may submit the fingerprints collected by agencies authorized to request state and national fingerprint-based background checks conducted by SLED and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Next Generation Identification (NGI) program.
(2) SLED and the Federal Bureau of Investigation may retain collected fingerprints. Retained fingerprints may be searched by future submissions to SLED and the NGI system, including latent fingerprint searches, and appropriate responses sent to SLED and authorized recipients.
(C) SLED may charge a reasonable fee for the collection and retention of fingerprints."
SECTION 2. Chapter 2, Title 12 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"Section 12-2-140. (A) Each state agency and each political subdivision of the State, is authorized, as necessary to comply with Internal Revenue Service Publication 1075, including amendments thereto and publications replacing Publication 1075, to obtain a state criminal records check, supported by fingerprints, conducted by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and a national criminal records check, supported by fingerprints, conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation on all employees and contractors with access to federal tax information. The results of these criminal records checks must be reported to the requesting state agency or political subdivision.
(B) An employee or contractor of a state agency or a political subdivision of the State with access to or that uses federal tax information must:
(1) agree to a national background check and the release of all investigative records to the applicable state agency or political subdivision for the purpose of verifying criminal history information for non-criminal justice purposes; and
(2) supply a fingerprint sample and submit to a state criminal history background check and investigation to be conducted by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and a national criminal history background check to be conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
(C) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the state agency or political subdivision shall pay any costs incurred to conduct background checks and investigations requested by the state agency or political subdivision. The state agency or political subdivision may require a person or entity contracting with the agency or political subdivision to pay the costs associated with the background investigations for all employees of the contractor. The requirement may be a condition of the contract with the state agency or political subdivision.
(D) Each state agency or political subdivision required to conduct background checks and investigations pursuant to this section shall establish written policies concerning the implementation and use of the background checks and investigations conducted pursuant to this section.
(E) For purposes of this section, 'state agency' includes state departments and state institutions."
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
This web page was last updated on April 7, 2021 at 9:38 AM