Committee advances bill to require state agencies to provide criminal records for federal background checks

A Kentucky House committee voted to report House Bill 340 with a favorable recommendation after testimony that the measure would require state and local criminal justice agencies to provide criminal-history information to federal agencies conducting suitability or fitness assessments, proponents said.

Supporters told the committee the bill would add a new section to state law to define terms and require criminal-justice agencies to share records with federal agencies doing suitability checks, to conform KRS 610.340 (juvenile justice records) and to permit a $25 reimbursement fee authorized under federal law, the proponents said.

"This legislation will change and create a new section of CARES ... to define terms and require criminal justice agencies to provide criminal history records information to requesting agencies when they are conducting a basic suitability or fitness assessment," Representative Tony Hampton said while introducing House Bill 340. Hampton said the bill is intended to bring Kentucky into compliance with federal…