Sec. 12. (a) Except as provided in subsection (f) and subject to subsection (g), a provider shall, at no expense to the state, do the following:

(1) If the provider is an individual, submit the provider’s fingerprints for a national criminal history background check by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

(2) If the provider operates a child care program in the provider’s home, require:

(A) the provider’s spouse; and

(B) any individual who resides with the provider and who is:

(i) at least eighteen (18) years of age; or

(ii) less than eighteen (18) years of age but has previously been waived from juvenile court to adult court;

to submit fingerprints for a national criminal history background check by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

(3) Require any individual who:

(A) is employed or volunteers; and

(B) may be present on the premises of the facility where the provider operates a child care program during operating hours of the child care program;

to submit fingerprints for a national criminal history background check by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

A provider shall require an individual described in subdivision (3) to submit fingerprints for a national criminal history background check before the individual is employed or allowed to volunteer and every three (3) years thereafter that the individual is continuously employed or allowed to volunteer.

     (b) In addition to the requirement under subsection (a), a provider shall report to the division any:

(1) police investigations;

(2) arrests; and

(3) criminal convictions;

of which the provider is aware regarding any of the persons listed in subsection (a).

     (c) A provider that meets the other eligibility requirements of this chapter is temporarily eligible to receive voucher payments until the division receives the national criminal history background check required under subsection (a) from the state police department if:

(1) the provider:

(A) has:

(i) submitted; or

(ii) required an individual described in subsection (a)(2) or (a)(3) to submit;

fingerprints for a national criminal history background check as required under subsection (a); and

(B) obtains a local criminal history for the individuals described in subsection (a) from each individual’s local law enforcement agency before the individual is employed or allowed to volunteer; and

(2) the local criminal history does not reveal that an individual has been convicted of a:

(A) felony:

(i) related to the health or safety of a child;

(ii) that is a sex offense (as defined in IC 11-8-8-5.2);

(iii) that is a dangerous felony; or

(iv) that is not a felony otherwise described in items (i) through (iii), and less than ten (10) years have elapsed from the date the person was discharged from probation, imprisonment, or parole, whichever discharge date is latest;

(B) misdemeanor related to the health or safety of a child;

(C) misdemeanor for operating a child care center without a license under IC 12-17.2-4-35, or of a substantially similar offense committed in another jurisdiction if the offense is directly or indirectly related to jeopardizing the health or safety of a child; or

(D) misdemeanor for operating a child care home without a license under IC 12-17.2-5-35, or of a substantially similar offense committed in another jurisdiction if the offense is directly or indirectly related to jeopardizing the health or safety of a child.

     (d) A provider is ineligible to receive a voucher payment if an individual for whom a national criminal history background check is required under this section has been convicted of a:

(1) felony:

(A) related to the health or safety of a child;

(B) that is a sex offense (as defined in IC 11-8-8-5.2);

(C) that is a dangerous felony; or

(D) that is not a felony otherwise described in clauses (A) through (C), and less than ten (10) years have elapsed from the date the person was discharged from probation, imprisonment, or parole, whichever discharge date is latest;

(2) misdemeanor related to the health or safety of a child;

(3) misdemeanor for operating a child care center without a license under IC 12-17.2-4-35, or of a substantially similar offense committed in another jurisdiction, if the offense is directly or indirectly related to jeopardizing the health or safety of a child; or

(4) misdemeanor for operating a child care home without a license under IC 12-17.2-5-35, or of a substantially similar offense committed in another jurisdiction, if the offense is directly or indirectly related to jeopardizing the health or safety of a child;

until the individual is dismissed from employment or volunteer service at the facility where the provider operates a child care program or no longer resides with the provider.

     (e) A provider shall maintain a written policy requiring an individual for whom a national criminal history background check is required under this section to report any criminal convictions of the individual to the provider.

     (f) Notwithstanding IC 10-13-3-28, the state police department may not charge a church or religious society any fees or costs (other than fees or costs charged by the Federal Bureau of Investigation or a private entity) for responding to a request for a release of a national criminal history background check record of a prospective or current employee or a prospective or current volunteer of a child care ministry registered under IC 12-17.2-6 if the conditions set forth in IC 10-13-3-36(f) are met.

     (g) A provider that holds a license or registration under this article on July 1, 2013, shall, at no expense to the state, meet the requirements under subsection (a) not later than July 1, 2014.

As added by P.L.247-2001, SEC.3. Amended by P.L.109-2002, SEC.4; P.L.18-2003, SEC.22; P.L.6-2004, SEC.1; P.L.142-2006, SEC.2; P.L.287-2013, SEC.7; P.L.121-2020, SEC.3.