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Relating to criminal history record information checks for applicants for employment and employees of group homes; creating a criminal offense.
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
SB 1630 would require an owner or operator of a group home (as defined by the bill) to obtain criminal history record information from the Texas Department of Public Safety for applicants for employment as well as current employees. An owner or operator of a group home would be prohibited from hiring or continuing to employ an individual who has been convicted of any offense under a number of specified Penal Code chapters or any Class A Misdemeanor or felony. Violation of these requirements would constitute a Class A misdemeanor offense.
Texas Action opposes SB 1630 which prohibits employment at a group home for any Class A misdemeanor offense. This is overly broad and would prohibit employment for an offense in a person's long-distant past which may not even be relevant to working in a group home. The Class A misdemeanor offense this bill would create is also disproportionate to the offense and would constitute overcriminalization.
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