1. This section shall only apply to sheriffs of counties of the third classification. Under this section, a sheriff may elect, but is not mandated to elect, to utilize the provisions of this section and provide a service authorized in this section. A sheriff may discontinue a service authorized in this section at his or her discretion.

2. Any state agency listed in section 621.045; the division of professional registration of the department of commerce and insurance; the department of social services; the supreme court of Missouri; the state courts administrator; the department of elementary and secondary education; the department of natural resources; the Missouri lottery; the Missouri gaming commission; or any state, municipal, or county agency which screens persons seeking employment with such agencies or issues or renews a license, permit, certificate, or registration of authority from such agencies; or any state, municipal, or county agency or committee, or state school of higher education that is authorized by state statute or executive order, or local or county ordinance to screen applicants or candidates seeking or considered for employment, assignment, contracting, or appointment to a position within state, municipal, or county government; or the Missouri peace officers standards and training (POST) commission that screens persons not employed by a criminal justice agency who seek enrollment or access into a certified POST training academy police school, or persons seeking a permit to purchase or possess a firearm for employment as a watchman, security personnel, or private investigator; or law enforcement agencies that screen persons seeking issuance or renewal of a license, permit, certificate, or registration to purchase or possess a firearm may, in counties of the third classification where the sheriff has elected to provide the services authorized under this section, submit two sets of fingerprints to the sheriff of counties of the third classification for the purpose of checking the person‘s criminal history. The first set of fingerprints shall be used to search the Missouri criminal records repository, and the second set of fingerprints shall be submitted to the Federal Bureau of Investigation to be used for searching the federal criminal history files, if necessary. The fingerprints shall be submitted on forms and in the manner prescribed by the sheriff of a county of the third classification. Fees assessed for the searches shall be paid by the applicant or in the manner prescribed by the sheriff and shall be deposited to the credit of the fund provided in subsection 3 of section 57.280 and subject to the limitations therein. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 610.120, all records related to any criminal history information discovered shall be accessible and available to the state, municipal, or county agency making the record request.