This bill amends existing legislation regarding the dissemination of criminal history record background information by the State Bureau of Identification. It establishes a fee structure for processing fingerprint identification checks and criminal history name search checks, with fees not exceeding $30 and $18, respectively. Additionally, it allows for the waiving of these fees for background checks of prospective resource family parents and volunteers, with the Department of Children and Families responsible for covering these costs. The bill also mandates that the State Bureau of Identification verify whether a person has an unprocessed order of expungement and ensures that no criminal history information is disclosed if it has been ordered to be expunged.

Furthermore, the bill requires the Division of State Police to create and maintain an online portal that enables individuals with expungement orders to check the status of their orders. It also mandates the Division to submit an annual report to the Governor and Legislature detailing the number of expungement orders received and processed, along with relevant processing timeframes. This report will be published on the Division's official website, enhancing transparency and accessibility regarding the expungement process. The act is set to take effect immediately upon passage.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 53:1-20.6