SB200 Alabama 2017 Session

Updated Feb 27, 2026

High Interest

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Quinton Ross
Democrat
Session: Regular Session 2017
Title: Employment practice, unlawful to inquire from job applicant information relating to arrests or conviction of crimes, criminal record, with exceptions
Summary: SB200 would shield job applicants from state employers asking about arrest or conviction history before a conditional job offer and create record-keeping and enforcement requirements.
What This Bill Does
It stops state agencies and political subdivisions from asking about an applicant's arrest or conviction history or using it to decide on eligibility before a conditional offer, with some exceptions. It requires confidential handling and retention of conviction history records for applicants and employees, and it gives the Department of Labor enforcement power, including audits and complaint handling. It also requires notification to applicants if their prior conviction could disqualify them, and outlines certain exemptions for bonds, law enforcement-related roles, and specific departments.

Who It Affects
State of Alabama, its agencies, and political subdivisions as employers, which must change hiring practices to avoid pre-offer questions and maintain eligible records.
Job applicants and people with arrest or conviction histories, who gain protections from automatic disqualification and rights to notified decisions and information about their records.

Key Provisions
Prohibits state employers from inquiring into or considering an applicant's conviction history until after a conditional job offer, with exceptions where a conviction is directly related to the job.
Job applications may not ask about conviction history; if an employer denies based on conviction, they must provide written notice of the specific convictions and provide a copy of the conviction history report.
Requires confidentiality of background check information and restricts how such data can be used or shared.
Requires employers to retain certain employment and hiring records for at least three years and to allow the Department of Labor access for monitoring and enforcement; requires reporting on background-check-related metrics.
Allows exemptions for bonds and certain positions (e.g., law enforcement, specific departments) where conviction questions may be allowed if needed for bonding or job requirements.
Establishes that the Department of Labor enforces the act, handles complaints, conducts annual audits, and reports findings to the Governor with corrective actions as needed.
Directs that the act supersedes conflicting laws related to initiation, suspension, or termination of employment, and sets an effective date of January 1, 2018.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.
Subjects: Employment