§16-22A-30. Criminal background information checks of current public employees.

(a) A criminal history background information check shall be conducted on all current public certified employees and all current public noncertified employees employed by a local employing board, and any State Department of Education personnel, as determined by the State Superintendent of Education, who have unsupervised access to and provide education, training, instruction, or supervision for children in an educational setting.

(b) Each current public certified employee and current public noncertified employee employed by a local employing board shall be notified by the State Department of Education that the State Superintendent of Education will provide a suitability determination, based upon convictions, pending criminal charges, and suitability criteria for public employment, to his or her local employing board. Each current public certified employee and current public noncertified employee shall also be notified by the State Department of Education of his or her right to obtain a copy of the criminal history background information reports, challenge the accuracy and completeness of any information contained in the reports, to supply additional information on his or her behalf to the State Department of Education, and obtain a prompt determination as to the validity of such challenge before a final suitability determination regarding the current public certified employee and current public noncertified employee is made by the State Department of Education. Any personnel action taken against a current public certified employee or current public noncertified employee shall be in accordance with all applicable state and federal laws as well as any adopted applicable local policies or procedures.

(c) Any fee required in conjunction with a criminal history background information check of a public current employee shall be paid by the State Department of Education, subject to Section 16-22A-34.

(Act 2002-457, p. 1171, §2.)