42 U.S.C. § 12645g — Criminal history checks

(a) In general Any entity that selects people to serve in a position where they'll get a living allowance, stipend, national-service educational award, or salary through a program funded under the national service laws must run criminal history checks on them, following the Corporation's rules. (b) Requirements Unless the Corporation approves an exception for good cause, that check must include: a name-based search of the National Sex Offender Registry; and either a search of the criminal registry in both the state where the program operates and the state where the individual lives when applying, or submitting fingerprints to the FBI for a national background check. (c) Eligibility prohibition A person can't serve in one of these positions if they: refuse to consent to the check; lie in connection with the check; are registered, or required to register, as a sex offender in a state or nationally; or have been convicted of murder, as defined in section 1111 of title 18. (d) Special rule for individuals working with vulnerable populations Starting two years after April 21, 2009, the check for certain individuals must go further — except at entities described below — and include all three: the sex-offender registry search, the state criminal registry search, and submitting fingerprints for an FBI national background check. This fuller check applies to anyone age 18 or older who serves in a paid position under the national service laws and who, because of that role, has recurring access to children 17 or younger, adults 60 or older, or people with disabilities. It doesn't apply to an entity where: the service to that vulnerable population is only occasional or lasts a single day; the cost of complying would be too high; the entity can't legally access the FBI's national background-check system under state law; it can't legally access that system under federal law; or the Corporation grants an exemption for good cause.