GA HB1097

Requires criminal background checks, registry checks, and professional license verification for owners, applicants, and employees of community living arrangements, drug abuse treatment programs, and adult residential mental health facilities licensed by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities.

Authorizes the department to submit fingerprints to the FBI through the Georgia Crime Information Center (GCIC) for national criminal history record checks; GCIC must notify the department of findings within 10 days of receiving acceptable fingerprints.

Prohibits employment of individuals who appear on abuse/neglect registries, have substantiated findings of abuse or misappropriation of property, hold professional licenses not in good standing, or receive an ineligible determination based on specified crimes including assault, sexual offenses, arson, theft, and obstruction of justice.

Imposes civil penalties of $500 per day, up to $10,000 total, on facilities that fail to terminate employees with ineligible determinations; requires license revocation for facilities with ineligible owners.

Provides administrative review and appeal rights under the Georgia Administrative Procedure Act for individuals receiving ineligible determinations, with hearing officers required to consider mitigating factors such as time elapsed since the crime and evidence of rehabilitation.