In 2015, the Nevada legislature made two important changes to state law to make criminal background checks in that state more comprehensive and faster.
S.B. 409 amended the state FCRA to remove the seven-year cap on obsolescence for criminal background checks. The new Nevada law, which became effective on June 9, now conforms to the Federal FCRA so there is no longer a time-limit (or obsolescence period) for the reporting of criminal convictions. This expanded look-back period should allow employers an opportunity to better manage their risk and keep their customers, businesses, and employees safer.
Another important change was made to Nevada law in 2015. A.B. 47 became law to create a name-based criminal check system within the Department of Public Safety to allow consumer reporting agencies to share the results of name-based checks with their employer customers. Prior law was not clear that criminal background check companies could share the results of their DPS queries with employers. The law is now clear and was effective immediately when the governor signed the bill.
Eric J. Ellman is Senior Vice President for Public Policy and Legal Affairs at the Consumer Data Industry Association (CDIA) in Washington, DC. He also served for eight months as Interim President and CEO of the Association. More