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Senate committee advances bill to give board of social work statutory access to FBI fingerprint checks

Senate Courts of Justice Committee · March 2, 2026

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Summary

HB577 would add statutory authority allowing the Board of Social Work to receive FBI criminal-history information (fingerprint-based checks) to meet federal CJIS/FBI requirements; committee adopted technical amendments and sent the bill to Finance.

Sponsor explained HB577 responds to an FBI requirement that the Board of Social Work have specific statutory authority to receive and retain certain criminal history records tied to fingerprint-based background checks. The sponsor said the change is needed for the board to remain compliant and maintain access to the FBI’s criminal-history services.

Stakeholders, including Mark Smith representing clinical social‑work associations, testified that this is a technical fix prompted by an FBI audit and similar statutory language has been adopted for other professions (nurses, physical therapists). Senators asked whether the bill was the right vehicle and why the statute references a federal public law; counsel clarified the federal citation corresponds to 34 U.S.C. §41101 (codification of Public Law 92‑544) governing CJIS dissemination rules.

Committee members moved to strike a small block of language (lines 287–290) and otherwise approved the amendment; the bill was reported and referred to Finance. Senators discussed potential interactions with NCIC/ CJIS dissemination rules and noted state police and CJIS training remain operational issues to be reconciled with federal requirements.