HB 203 Summary

• Requires all Information Technology (IT) employees and independent contractors of the State to undergo fingerprint-based Delaware criminal history background checks and federal FBI background checks prior to hire.

• Disqualifies applicants convicted of a felony or Class A misdemeanor within the last 5 years, or convicted of any crime enumerated in Delaware Code sections 871-878, 854, 913, 913A, or 932-938.

• Permits conditional hiring in exigent circumstances when staffing is critical, contingent upon receipt and clearance of background check results.

• Applies retroactively to existing IT employees as of the effective date, requiring them to undergo background checks.

• Designates the State Bureau of Identification as the intermediary and the hiring agency as the screening point; costs are borne by the State for employees and by independent contractors for themselves.