We’ve written about the introduction and advancement of a bill in Michigan to protect residents’ access to jobs, volunteer opportunities and more. The legislation seeks to prevent economic damage from a proposal that would disallow matching a person’s name and birth date to verify their identity when looking for any red flags in their background. An unintended consequence of the pending rule would be slower hiring and economic growth at a time the state is building momentum.
The Michigan House of Representatives yesterday passed a bill championed by Michigan House Judiciary Committee Chairman Graham Filler. The bill would allow background checks to happen efficiently and accurately, without delays to filling jobs in Michigan. The Michigan House passed the bill 69-34 in a bipartisan vote.
The vote didn’t happen a moment too soon, as some local jurisdictions in Michigan have already started to withhold information under the pending rule, which is currently optional. Some are doing so while they wait and see how the issue is resolved. Some cite the state courts pointing those conducting background checks to alternate—but less accurate—sources of information.
If allowed to go into effect on January 1 as scheduled, all jurisdictions statewide would have to withhold key information under the rule.
As we’ve noted before, more than a dozen business groups led by the Consumer Data Industry Association recently wrote the Judiciary Committee in support of the bill.
The Michigan Senate now has an opportunity to swiftly pass this legislation before taking its annual Thanksgiving Break. Hopefully the senate takes action to protect the momentum of the state’s economy and access to jobs for its citizens.