Senate Bill No. 486 aims to implement recommendations from the Department of Administrative Services regarding criminal background checks for employees who have access to federal tax information. The bill modifies Section 5-207a of the general statutes by repealing the existing language and substituting it with new provisions. Key changes include specifying that the agency with custody of federal tax information, rather than the employing agency, is responsible for conducting background checks. Additionally, the requirement for current employees to undergo checks every five years is maintained, but the language has been clarified to ensure that contractors and subcontractors are also subject to these checks at least every five years.

The bill mandates that all applicants, transferring employees, and current employees must disclose any criminal convictions or pending charges and undergo fingerprinting for state and national criminal history checks. The previous law allowed for checks to be conducted more frequently if required by federal law, but this has been changed to a strict five-year interval. Overall, the bill aligns state law with federal requirements while ensuring that all individuals with access to sensitive tax information are thoroughly vetted. There is no anticipated fiscal impact on the state or municipalities as a result of this legislation.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 5-207a
GAE Joint Favorable: 5-207a
File No. 505: 5-207a