Oregon State Police outlines Rap Back rollout, requests staffing and $1.6 million for 2025–27

At a March 6, 2025 Public Safety Subcommittee work session in Salem, Oregon State Police officials reported they have federal approval to enroll the state in the Rap Back record-of-arrest notification program and outlined staffing and budget needs to implement it.

The Rap Back program lets authorized agencies receive notifications when new criminal history records match previously submitted fingerprints. Wendy Landers, deputy director of core services for the Criminal Justice Information Services division at the Oregon State Police, told the subcommittee that the agency completed the FBI CJIS approval process on Feb. 19, 2025 and can now submit interested state agencies for review and enrollment.

Landers said the Department of Human Services has so far submitted the only implementation plan to the legislature. She warned that federal approval of Oregon’s application does not automatically authorize every state agency to begin Rap Back submissions: “Approval of the appendix 2 application does not mean every agency in Oregon who is authorized fingerprint background check individuals are automatically approved and can begin the Rap Back submission,” Landers said.

Landers summarized outreach and preparatory work. OSP held informational sessions at its August 2024 CJIS conference, which drew about 266 attendees, published an informational flyer that is updated as questions arise, and has started vendor system changes and training for limited-duration positions. She said OSP has hired and begun training four of the six limited-duration positions funded in the 2023–25 budget note tied to House Bill 4122.

The agency also provided workload and cost estimates tied to the Department of Human Services’ projected use. DHS told OSP it expects to submit roughly 350,000 fingerprint cards over two years if it participates, about four times DHS’s typical two-year submission volume. To handle that forecast, OSP estimates it will need seven fingerprint technicians and one supervisor (eight FTE) and roughly $1,600,000 in services and supplies during the 2025–27 biennium. Landers said OSP expects to gather more participation information during that biennium and anticipates moving to a fee-based model beginning in 2027–29.

Jonathan Bennett of the Department of Administrative Services’ Chief Financial Office asked the subcommittee to treat the presentation as informational and recommended the committee acknowledge receipt of the report: “We recommend you acknowledge receipt of the report,” Bennett said.

The Legislative Fiscal Office also recommended acknowledging receipt. Senator Brown moved to send the report and the LFO recommendation to the full committee. The subcommittee approved the motion by voice vote; no roll call tally was recorded and no formal second was stated on the record. Representative Evans was designated to carry the item to the full committee.

The Rap Back program’s next steps, Landers said, are to submit interested agencies to the FBI CJIS division using the Appendix 2 addendum process, continue outreach and training for noncriminal-justice agencies that may enroll, and monitor DHS’s participation to refine capacity and funding plans. Landers closed by noting OSP will update the committee as agency participation and workload projections firm up.

The subcommittee’s action moves the Rap Back report and recommendations to the full committee for further consideration.