Behavioral health centers, facilities, and programs: background checks.

Assembly Member Alanis proposes new background check requirements for behavioral health treatment providers in California, mandating screenings to identify and exclude individuals convicted of crimes involving minors. The measure creates Chapter 2.10 of the Business and Professions Code, expanding upon existing requirements for businesses serving minors to notify parents about employee background check policies.

The legislation exempts practitioners who hold current California state licenses that already include fingerprint-based background checks, provided their licenses remain in good standing. Under the measure, the Department of Justice would continue its existing role of maintaining and providing state criminal history information to authorized entities, with unauthorized disclosure remaining a criminal offense.

The bill's provisions classify this expansion of background check requirements as a state-mandated local program. However, the measure specifies that local agencies and school districts would not receive state reimbursement for implementation costs, as the changes fall within existing constitutional parameters regarding crime-related modifications to state law.