Child Protection Improvements Act of 2017

To amend the National Child Protection Act of 1993 to establish a national criminal history background check system and criminal history review program for certain individuals who, related to their employment, have access to children, the elderly, or individuals with disabilities, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Child Protection Improvements Act of 2017 2. National Criminal History Background Check and Criminal History Review Program The National Child Protection Act of 1993 ( 42 U.S.C. 5119 (1) in section 3 ( 42 U.S.C. 5119a (A) by striking provider covered individual (B) by striking provider's covered individual's (C) by amending subsection (a)(3) to read as follows: (3) (A) The Attorney General shall establish a program, in accordance with this section, to provide qualified entities located in States that do not have in effect procedures described in paragraph (1), or qualified entities located in States that do not prohibit the use of the program established under this paragraph, with access to national criminal history background checks on, and criminal history reviews of, covered individuals. (B) A qualified entity described in subparagraph (A) may submit to the appropriate designated entity a request for a national criminal history background check on, and a criminal history review of, a covered individual. Qualified entities making a request under this paragraph shall comply with the guidelines set forth in subsection (b), and with any additional applicable procedures set forth by the Attorney General or by the State in which the entity is located. ; (D) in subsection (b)— (i) in paragraph (1)(E), by striking unsupervised (ii) in paragraph (2)— (I) by redesignating subparagraphs (A) and (B) as clauses (i) and (ii), respectively; (II) in the matter preceding clause (i), as so redesignated, by striking that each covered individual who is the subject of a background check (A) (III) by adding at the end the following: (B) that each covered individual who is the subject of a national criminal history background check and criminal history review conducted pursuant to the procedures established pursuant to subsection (a)(3) is entitled to challenge the accuracy and completeness of any information in the criminal history record of the individual by contacting the Federal Bureau of Investigation under the procedure set forth in section 16.34 of title 28, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor thereto. ; (iii) in paragraph (3), insert after authorized agency or designated entity, as applicable, (iv) in paragraph (4), insert after authorized agency or designated entity, as applicable, (E) in subsection (d), insert after officer or employee thereof, , nor shall any designated entity nor any officer or employee thereof, (F) by amending subsection (e) to read as follows: (e) Fees (1) State program In the case of a background check conducted pursuant to a State requirement adopted after December 20, 1993, conducted with fingerprints on a covered individual, the fees collected by authorized State agencies and the Federal Bureau of Investigation may not exceed eighteen dollars, respectively, or the actual cost, whichever is less, of the background check conducted with may not exceed the actual cost of the background check conducted with (2) Federal program In the case of a national criminal history background check and criminal history review conducted pursuant to the procedures established pursuant to subsection (a)(3), the fees collected by a designated entity shall be set at a level that will ensure the recovery of the full costs of providing all such services. The designated entity shall remit the appropriate portion of such fee to the Attorney General, which amount is in accordance with the amount published in the Federal Register to be collected for the provision of a criminal history background check by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. (3) Ensuring fees do not discourage volunteers A fee system under this subsection shall be established in a manner that ensures that fees to qualified entities for background checks do not discourage volunteers from participating in programs to care for children, the elderly, or individuals with disabilities. A fee charged to a qualified entity that is not organized under section 501(c)(3) ; and (G) by inserting after subsection (e) the following: (f) National criminal history background check and criminal history review program (1) National criminal history background check Upon a designated entity receiving notice of a request submitted by a qualified entity pursuant to subsection (a)(3), the designated entity shall forward the request to the Attorney General, who shall, acting through the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, complete a fingerprint-based check of the national criminal history background check system, and provide the information received in response to such national criminal history background check to the appropriate designated entity. The designated entity may, upon request from a qualified entity, complete a check of a State criminal history database. (2) Criminal history review (A) Designated entities The Attorney General shall designate, and enter into an agreement with, one or more entities to make determinations described in paragraph (2). The Attorney General may not designate and enter into an agreement with a Federal agency under this subparagraph. (B) Determinations A designated entity shall, upon the receipt of the information described in paragraph (1), make a determination of fitness described in subsection (b)(4), using the criteria described in subparagraph (C). (C) Criminal history review criteria The Attorney General shall, by rule, establish the criteria for use by designated entities in making a determination of fitness described in subsection (b)(4). Such criteria shall be based on the criteria established pursuant to section 108(a)(3)(G)(i) of the Prosecutorial Remedies and Other Tools to end the Exploitation of Children Today Act of 2003 ( 42 U.S.C. 5119a ; and (2) in section 5 ( 42 U.S.C. 5119c (A) by amending paragraph (9) to read as follows: (9) the term covered individual (A) who has, seeks to have, or may have access to children, the elderly, or individuals with disabilities, served by a qualified entity; and (B) who— (i) is employed by or volunteers with, or seeks to be employed by or volunteer with, a qualified entity; or (ii) owns or operates, or seeks to own or operate, a qualified entity. ; (B) in paragraph (10), by striking and (C) in paragraph (11), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and (D) by inserting after paragraph (11) the following: (12) the term designated entity . 3. Effective date This Act and the amendments made by this Act shall be fully implemented by not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act. September 11, 2017 Reported with amendments

Summary: Child Protection Improvements Act of 2017 This bill amends the National Child Protection Act of 1993 to direct the Department of Justice to establish a program to provide national criminal history background checks and criminal history reviews for individuals who apply to work or volunteer at organizations that serve children, elderly adults, or individuals with disabilities.