Senate Bill 1109 Summary

• Requires employees of contractors and subcontractors working in information technology positions who access department data systems to obtain a fingerprint clearance card under the same requirements as Department of Child Safety employees.

• Allows contractors or subcontractors to charge fingerprint clearance card costs to the IT employee, with the department permitted to include all or part of these costs as an allowable expense in contracts.

• Requires background checks on all adult household members when placing a child with a parent after the child has been in out-of-home care, with results considered in safety assessments.

• Mandates preliminary state and federal name-based background checks during emergency placements with relatives or persons with significant relationships to the child, followed by full fingerprint-based criminal records checks within 15 calendar days.

• Authorizes immediate removal of a child from a home if any adult household member fails to provide fingerprints as required, with authority to request court-ordered change of physical custody.