Bill > A4059

Introduced Session

This bill requires the Commissioner of Banking and Insurance to conduct a criminal history record background check, including a name and fingerprint identification check, of each employee of the Department of Banking and Insurance who is responsible for handling sensitive personal, financial, and proprietary information. The bill authorizes the commissioner to exchange fingerprint data with, and to receive information from, the State Bureau of Identification in the Division of State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation consistent with applicable State and federal laws, rules, and regulations, for the purposes of facilitating determinations concerning qualifications for employment in the department. Upon receipt of the criminal history record information for an employee or prospective employee from the Division of State Police or the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the commissioner must promptly notify the employee or prospective employee, in writing, of the employee's or prospective employee's qualification for employment in the department pursuant the provisions of the bill. The bill also directs the Division of State Police to promptly notify the commissioner in the event an employee or prospective employee, who was the subject of a criminal history record background check pursuant to the bill, is arrested for a crime or offense in this State after the date the background check was performed. The bill provides that no person is permitted to serve as an officer, employee, or any other class of personnel in the department if that person is convicted of any crime or offense, as determined by a criminal history information background check conducted pursuant to the provisions of the bill, if the crime or offense involves dishonesty, breach of trust, money laundering, or any other crime or offense for which the commissioner determines is detrimental to the person's employment in the department. A recent report issued by the Office of the State Auditor, concerning the Department of Banking and Insurance, Administration, covering the period July 1, 2014 to September 30, 2017, contained a recommendation that the department seek legislation requiring criminal history background checks for certain employees of the department. This bill is a response to the recommendation, and requires department employees who are responsible for handling sensitive personal, financial, and proprietary information to undergo a criminal history record background check.

AI Summary

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Clinton Calabrese (D)*, 

Reported and Referred to Assembly Appropriations Committee (on 09/13/2018)