943.0542 Access to criminal history information provided by the department to qualified entities.—
(1) As used in this section, the term:
(a) “Care” means the provision of care, treatment, education, training, instruction, supervision, or recreation to children, the elderly, or individuals with disabilities.
(b) “Qualified entity” means a business or organization, whether public, private, operated for profit, operated not for profit, or voluntary, which provides care or care placement services, including a business or organization that licenses or certifies others to provide care or care placement services.
(2)(a) A qualified entity conducting background criminal history checks under this section must:
1. Register with the department before submitting a request for screening under this section. Each such request must be voluntary and conform to the requirements established in the National Child Protection Act of 1993, as amended. As a part of the registration, the qualified entity must agree to comply with state and federal law and must so indicate by signing an agreement approved by the department. The department shall periodically audit qualified entities to ensure compliance with federal law and this section.
2. Before January 1, 2026, or a later date as determined by the Agency for Health Care Administration, submit to the department, and effective January 1, 2026, or a later date as determined by the Agency for Health Care Administration, submit to the agency a request for screening an employee or volunteer or person applying to be an employee or volunteer by submitting fingerprints, or the request may be submitted electronically. The qualified entity must maintain a signed waiver allowing the release of the state and national criminal history record information to the qualified entity.
(b) Each request for screening must be accompanied by payment of a fee for a statewide criminal history check established by s. 943.053, plus the amount currently prescribed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the national criminal history check in compliance with the National Child Protection Act of 1993, as amended. Payments must be made in the manner prescribed by the department or agency by rule.
(c) Any current or prospective employee or volunteer who is subject to a request for screening must indicate to the qualified entity submitting the request the name and address of each qualified entity that has submitted a previous request for screening regarding that employee or volunteer.
(d) Effective January 1, 2026, or a later date as determined by the Agency for Health Care Administration, a qualified entity initiating a background criminal history check under this section must comply with s. 435.12, and all fingerprints received pursuant to this section must be entered into the clearinghouse as provided in s. 435.12.
(3) Through December 31, 2025, or a later date as determined by the Agency for Health Care Administration, the department shall provide directly to the qualified entity the state criminal history records that are not exempt from disclosure under chapter 119 or otherwise confidential under law. A person who is the subject of a state criminal history record may challenge the record only as provided in s. 943.056. Effective January 1, 2026, or a later date as determined by the Agency for Health Care Administration, the Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse may provide such records to the qualified entity only if the person challenges the record as provided in this subsection.
(4) The national criminal history data is available to qualified entities to use only for the purpose of screening employees and volunteers or persons applying to be an employee or volunteer with a qualified entity. Through December 31, 2026, or a later date as determined by the Agency for Health Care Administration, the department shall provide this national criminal history record information directly to the qualified entity as authorized by the written waiver required for submission of a request. Effective January 1, 2026, or a later date as determined by the Agency for Health Care Administration, the Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse may provide such record information to the qualified entity only if the person requests an exemption from the qualified entity under s. 435.07.
(5) The entity making the determination regarding screening shall apply the criteria under s. 435.04(2) to the state and national criminal history record information received from the department for those persons subject to screening. The determination whether the criminal history record shows that the employee or volunteer has not been arrested for and is awaiting final disposition of, regardless of adjudication, or entered a plea of nolo contendere or guilty to, or has been adjudicated delinquent and the record has not been sealed or expunged for, any offense listed under s. 435.02(2) shall be made by the qualified entity through December 31, 2025, or a later date as determined by the Agency for Health Care Administration. Beginning January 1, 2026, or a later date as determined by the Agency for Health Care Administration, the Agency for Health Care Administration shall determine the eligibility of the employee or volunteer of a qualified entity. This section does not require the department to make such a determination on behalf of any qualified entity.
(6) The qualified entity or, effective January 1, 2026, or a later date as determined by the Agency for Health Care Administration, the Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse must notify in writing the person of his or her right to obtain a copy of any background screening report, including the criminal history records, if any, contained in the report, and of the person’s right to challenge the accuracy and completeness of any information contained in any such report and to obtain a determination as to the validity of such challenge before a final determination regarding the person is made by the qualified entity reviewing the criminal history information.
(7) The department may establish a database of registered qualified entities and make this data available free of charge to all registered qualified entities. The database must include, at a minimum, the name, address, and phone number of each qualified entity.
(8) A qualified entity is not liable for damages solely for failing to obtain the information authorized under this section with respect to an employee or volunteer. The state, any political subdivision of the state, or any agency, officer, or employee of the state or a political subdivision is not liable for damages for providing the information requested under this section.
(9) The department has authority to adopt rules to implement this section.
History.—s. 1, ch. 99-300; s. 3, ch. 2008-249; s. 20, ch. 2013-116; s. 10, ch. 2016-78; s. 5, ch. 2016-162; s. 7, ch. 2023-220.
