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(a) In accordance with rules adopted by the executive commissioner, a shelter shall, when applying for a permit under this subchapter and at least once during each 24-month period after receiving that permit, submit to the department for use in conducting background and criminal history checks:
(1) the name of any director or prospective director of the shelter day-care facility and the name of each caregiver or prospective caregiver employed at the facility to provide care to children;
(2) the name of each person counted in child-to-caregiver ratios at the shelter day-care facility; and
(3) the name of each person 14 years of age or older who will have unsupervised access to one or more children while in the care of the shelter day-care facility.
(b) In addition to the requirements of Subsection (a), a shelter shall submit a complete set of fingerprints of each person required to undergo a criminal history check under Subsection (a).
(b-1) The executive commissioner shall adopt rules to implement this section. The rules adopted under this section:
(1) must require that the fingerprints submitted be in a form and of a quality acceptable to the Department of Public Safety and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for purposes of conducting a criminal history check;
(2) may require that the fingerprints be submitted electronically through an applicant fingerprinting service center; and
(3) may allow the commission to waive a fingerprint submission required by this section if:
(A) the person for whom the submission is required has:
(i) a fingerprint-based criminal history check on file with the commission obtained under Section 411.114 , Government Code; or
(ii) a fingerprint-based criminal history clearinghouse record, as provided by Section 411.0845 , Government Code, that is accessible to the commission through the Department of Public Safety and obtained under Section 411.114 , Government Code; and
(B) the commission has an active subscription to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's National Record of Arrest and Prosecution Back Service for the person for whom the fingerprint submission is required.
(c) The department shall conduct background and criminal history checks using:
(1) the information provided under Subsection (a) or (b), as applicable;
(2) the information made available by the Department of Public Safety under Section 411.114 , Government Code, or by the Federal Bureau of Investigation or another criminal justice agency under Section 411.087 , Government Code;
(3) the department's records of reported abuse and neglect;
(4) any information provided by the Texas Juvenile Justice Department under a memorandum of understanding; and
(5) the interagency reportable conduct search engine established under Chapter 810 , Health and Safety Code.
(c-1) For each person whose fingerprints are submitted under Subsection (b), the department shall conduct a state and Federal Bureau of Investigation criminal history check by:
(1) submitting the person's fingerprints, or causing the fingerprints to be submitted electronically, to the Department of Public Safety for the purpose of conducting a state and federal criminal history check; and
(2) using the resulting information made available by that department under Section 411.114 , Government Code, and by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and any other criminal justice agency under Section 411.087 , Government Code.
(d) For purposes of Sections 411.114 and 411.087 , Government Code:
(1) a shelter that applies for a permit is considered to be an applicant for a license under this chapter; and
(2) a shelter day-care facility operating under a permit issued under this subchapter is considered to be a child-care facility licensed under this chapter.
(e) The department shall require the shelter to pay to the department a fee set by the executive commissioner by rule in an amount not to exceed the administrative costs the department incurs in conducting a background and criminal history check under this section. Added by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1082 (S.B. 1178 ), Sec. 10, eff. September 1, 2012. Amended by: Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1 (S.B. 219 ), Sec. 4.246, eff. April 2, 2015. Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 597 (S.B. 1061 ), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2021. Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 954 (S.B. 1849 ), Sec. 6, eff. September 1, 2023.