AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 16 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE BACKGROUND CHECK CENTER.
AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 16 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE BACKGROUND CHECK CENTER.
Labor
Enacted
This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.
Sponsor
Hoffner
Last action
2026-05-14
Official status
Lieu/Substituted 12/18/25
Effective date
Not listed
Plain English Breakdown
The official source does not specify the exact date when this act will start.
Background Check Center Changes
This act changes how long a background check is valid for home-care workers in Delaware and requires that new criminal information be shared with their employers.
What This Bill Does
Makes the results of a background check done by a home-care agency through the Background Check Center (BCC) last up to three years from when someone gets fingerprinted.
Requires the Department to make rules about how often fingerprints need to be taken and how new criminal information is shared with employers.
Who It Names or Affects
Home-care agencies in Delaware
People who work or want to work as home-care workers
Terms To Know
Background Check Center (BCC)
A place where criminal history reports are checked for people applying for certain jobs.
Rap Back System
A system that alerts employers when an employee gets a new criminal record.
Limits and Unknowns
The exact date this act will start is not given.
It does not say how the Department will make these rules or what they should include.
Amendments
These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.
Plain English: This amendment removes a system called 'Rap Back' and changes how long criminal background checks are valid for employers.
Removes the definition of the 'Rap Back System'.
Changes the validity period of criminal history reports from 3 years to 1 year.
The amendment does not explain what happens after the one-year validity period ends for background checks.
Bill History
2026-05-14Delaware General Assembly
SS 1 for SB 67 - Signed by Governor
2026-04-23Delaware General Assembly
SS 1 for SB 67 - Passed By House. Votes: 35 YES 6 ABSENT
2026-03-18Delaware General Assembly
SS 1 for SB 67 - Reported Out of Committee (Health & Human Development) in House with 1 Favorable, 13 On Its Merits
2026-03-05Delaware General Assembly
SS 1 for SB 67 - Assigned to Health & Human Development Committee in House
2026-01-29Delaware General Assembly
SS 1 for SB 67 - Passed By Senate. Votes: 21 YES
2025-12-18Delaware General Assembly
Substituted in Senate by SS 1 for SB 67
2025-05-21Delaware General Assembly
Reported Out of Committee (Health & Social Services) in Senate with 6 On Its Merits
2025-05-16Delaware General Assembly
Amendment SA 1 to SB 67 - Introduced and Placed With Bill
2025-03-11Delaware General Assembly
Introduced and Assigned to Health & Social Services Committee in Senate
Official Summary Text
AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 16 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE BACKGROUND CHECK CENTER.
This Act codifies that a criminal history report obtained by a home-care agency through the BCC’s criminal screening process is valid for 3 years from the date of the applicant’s fingerprinting.
The Act further requires the Department to promulgate regulations that require the Rap Back System to notify current and future employers of any subsequent criminal history of the applicant.
Current Bill Text
Read the full stored bill text
Legislation Document
SPONSOR:
Sen. Hoffner & Rep. K. Johnson
Sens. Huxtable, Pinkney, Wilson; Reps. Romer, Ross Levin, Snyder-Hall
DELAWARE STATE SENATE
153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY
SENATE BILL NO. 67
AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 16 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE BACKGROUND CHECK CENTER.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:
Section 1. Amend § 1145, Title 16 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:
§ 1145. Criminal background checks.
(b)
Definitions
. –
( ) “Rap Back System” means as defined under § 8502 of Title 11.
(c) An employer may not employ an applicant for work in a private residence before obtaining a criminal history. Upon request, the criminal history must be provided to the person for whom the services are to be provided, or to the person’s authorized representative upon the applicant’s commencement of work.
An applicant’s criminal history report obtained through the BCC’s criminal history screening process is valid for any prospective employer for a period of 3 years from the date of the applicant’s last fingerprinting.
(n) The Department shall promulgate regulations regarding all of the following:
(1) The criteria it uses to determine unsuitability for employment.
(2) The policies and procedures for preparing the criminal history which govern the frequency of criminal record review and updating.
(3)
The frequency with which fingerprints must be obtained.
The use of the Rap Back System to require any subsequent criminal history of an employee is provided to current and future employers of the employee.
(4) The information that the Department provides in the criminal history about disqualifying and nondisqualifying criminal convictions.
(5) The methods for notifying applicants and employers of the results of the Department’s review, and for providing applicants with the criminal history.
(6) The administrative review process available to a person desiring to contest adverse information.
(7) Other provisions required to achieve the purpose of this section.
SYNOPSIS
This Act codifies that a criminal history report obtained by a home-care agency through the BCC’s criminal screening process is valid for 3 years from the date of the applicant’s fingerprinting.
The Act further requires the Department to promulgate regulations that require the Rap Back System to notify current and future employers of any subsequent criminal history of the applicant.
Author: Senator Hoffner