HB513 Alabama 2025 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Bryan BrinyarkRepresentative

Republican

Session

2025 Regular Session

Title

Alabama Justice Information Commission; collection, dissemination, and use of biometric identifiers by certain entities provided for; Alabama Background Check Service established, types, uses, and fees for certain background checks for noncriminal justice purposes authorized; Alabama Rap Back Program established, penalties provided for; existing law relating to release of criminal history information repealed

Summary

HB513 would require biometric data collection by certain agencies, create the Alabama Background Check Service and the Alabama Rap Back Program for noncriminal background checks, expand background checks to noncriminal purposes, and repeal the current criminal history release rules.

What This Bill Does

It requires agencies to collect biometric identifiers (like fingerprints and photos) and share them with ALEA, and allows law enforcement to use approved biometric devices to identify people. It establishes the Alabama Background Check Service to conduct noncriminal background checks for employers, licensing boards, housing providers, educational entities, and other specified groups, with rules, procedures, and fees set by ALEA and AJIC. It creates the Alabama Rap Back Program to continuously notify enrolled entities about ongoing or future criminal history events, and it sets penalties for misuse of background check information. It also repeals the existing criminal history release provisions and assigns funding through required fees, with an effective date of October 1, 2025.

Who It Affects

• Law enforcement and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) and AJIC, which would collect, store, and disseminate biometric data and operate the background check and rap back systems.
• Public or private employers, government agencies, licensing boards, nonprofits, educational institutions, housing authorities, landlords, and volunteers who would use the Alabama Background Check Service for noncriminal background checks.
• Individuals who are the subjects of background checks (including those subject to fingerprint-based checks), who must consent to release of information and may have their data stored and later removed under defined timelines.
• Participating entities enrolled in the Alabama Rap Back Program, which would receive notifications about an enrolled individual’s criminal history events and would pay associated fees.
• Vendors or third-party entities contracted to provide background check services or facilitate the program.

Key Provisions

• Mandatory collection and sharing of biometric identifiers (e.g., fingerprints, photographs, palm prints, etc.) by specified agencies, with rules governing use and dissemination.
• Authorization for law enforcement to use approved biometric identification devices to identify individuals, using state or federal repositories when allowed by law.
• Establishment of the Alabama Background Check Service to provide background checks for noncriminal justice purposes, with rules, procedures, and the possibility of fee-based services.
• ALEA and the Commission may set and collect fees for background checks (up to $30 for a record, plus possible national check costs and other fees), with all funds deposited to the Public Safety Fund to support CJIS operations and related expenses.
• Creation of the Alabama Rap Back Program to notify participating entities when a enrolled individual experiences a rap back event (e.g., arrest or conviction), with procedures for notification and removal of records when no longer applicable.
• Background checks for noncriminal justice purposes may be conducted for a wide range of entities (employers, licensing boards, housing authorities, educational entities, non-profits, etc.), subject to subject consent and AJIC/ALEA rules.
• Strict restrictions on the dissemination and use of background check information, with audit authorizations and penalties for misuse (misuse of a background check report is a Class B misdemeanor).
• Repeal of Article 4 of Chapter 2 of Title 32, Code of Alabama 1975, relating to the release of criminal history information.
• Effective date: October 1, 2025.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Authorities, Boards, & Commissions