The bill amends existing laws regarding criminal history records checks for employees of service providers in Arkansas. It introduces provisions that allow third-party employee evaluation services to conduct these checks and expands the definition of "employee" to include independent contractors who provide care to clients of service providers. The bill also stipulates that service providers must inform applicants that employment or contract engagement is contingent upon satisfactory results from criminal history checks. Additionally, it allows for conditional employment or contracting pending the results of these checks.

Key amendments include the requirement for service providers to conduct periodic criminal history checks on employees at least once every five years and to maintain documentation of these checks. The bill clarifies that reports obtained from criminal history checks are confidential and can only be accessed by specific agencies, including the third-party evaluation services. Furthermore, it outlines conditions under which individuals may not be disqualified from employment based on their criminal history, including certain misdemeanors and the completion of probation or parole. Overall, the bill aims to enhance the safety and oversight of service providers while allowing for greater flexibility in hiring practices.

Statutes affected:
Old version HB1454 V2 - 4-3-2025 04:29 PM: 20-38-101, 04-03-2025, 20-78-202, 20-78-209, 20-10-801, 20-7-117, 20-10-702, 20-10-1202, 20-38-103(a), 20-38-103(b), 20-38-103(c), 20-38-103(d), 20-38-105(a), 20-38-105(d), 20-38-105(e), 20-38-106, 20-38-110, 25-19-101, 20-38-112(e)
Old version HB1454 Original - 2-11-2025 02:18 PM: 20-38-101, 20-78-202, 20-78-209, 20-10-801, 20-7-117, 20-10-702, 20-10-1202, 20-38-103(a), 20-38-103(b), 20-38-103(c), 20-38-103(d), 20-38-105(a), 20-38-105(d), 20-38-105(e), 20-38-106, 20-38-110, 25-19-101, 20-38-112(e)
HB 1454: 20-38-101, 20-78-202, 20-78-209, 20-10-801, 20-7-117, 20-10-702, 20-10-1202, 20-38-103(a), 20-38-103(b), 20-38-103(c), 20-38-103(d), 20-38-105(a), 20-38-105(d), 20-38-105(e), 20-38-106, 20-38-110, 25-19-101, 20-38-112(e)
Act 674: 20-38-101, 04-03-2025, 20-78-202, 20-78-209, 20-10-801, 20-7-117, 20-10-702, 20-10-1202, 20-38-103(a), 20-38-103(b), 20-38-103(c), 20-38-103(d), 20-38-105(a), 20-38-105(d), 20-38-105(e), 20-38-106, 20-38-110, 25-19-101, 20-38-112(e)