j ust the facts
M TA G O V E R N M E N T R E L A T I O N S
H494 – AN ACT RELATIVE TO NATIONAL BACKGROUND CHECK FEES
LEAD SPONSOR Rep. Tom Stanley (D-Waltham)
CO-SPONSORS
REPRESENTATIVES
James Arciero
Jennifer Benson
Garrett Bradley
Michael Brady
Paul Brodeur
Kate Campanale
James Cantwell
Gailanne Cariddi
Edward Coppinger
Claire Cronin
Daniel Cullinane
Michelle DuBois
James Dwyer
Lori Ehrlich
Sean Garballey
Colleen Garry
Kenneth Gordon
Danielle Gregoire
Patricia Haddad
Kate Hogan
Mary Keefe
Steven Kulik
David Linsky
John Mahoney
Paul Mark
Paul McMurtry
James Miceli
James Murphy
Harold Naughton
James O’Day
William Smitty Pignatelli
Denise Provost
David Rogers
Dennis Rosa
Frank Smizik
Steven Ultrino
Aaron Vega
John Velis
Christopher Walsh
SENATORS
James Eldridge
Anne Gobi
Thomas Kennedy
Jason Lewis
Joan Lovely
Michael Moore
James Welch
BACKGROUND
Chapter 459 of the Acts of 2012, as amended, requires that fingerprint-based national and state criminal background checks be
conducted on all current and future school employees and others with the potential for direct and unmonitored contact with
children.
The law provides that the fee shall be not more than $55 for employees who are certified pursuant to Massachusetts General
Laws, Chapter 71, section 38G, (licensed teacher) and shall be $35 for employees who are not certified pursuant to section 38G.
Prior to the passage of this law, the criminal background check already done in Massachusetts is a “CORI” (Criminal Offender
Record Information) check, which is paid for by the state - with no cost to the employee or school district.
Unlike CORI, the new system unfairly passes the cost onto the employees of public schools.
WHAT THIS BILL DOES
■■ Eliminates the fee paid by public school employees to cover the cost of the national background check (currently $55/$35).
■■ Allows employees who have already paid the fee to deduct the amount paid from their next educator licensure renewal.
■■ Employees or retired employees who have already paid the fee and are not subject to educator licensure renewal shall be
reimbursed the cost of the fee by the state.
Kate Donaghey, Lobbyist | Catherine Fichtner, Lobbyist | Julie Johnson, Lobbyist | Sean King, Lobbyist
617.878.8119