SECTION 1. The legislature finds that section 46-16.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, authorizes the counties to protect the public health, safety, and welfare by licensing, controlling and regulating public passenger vehicle services, including the picking up and discharging of passengers from various unrelated locations by taxicabs. In accordance with this authority, the counties have adopted ordinances and administrative rules addressing the supervision, regulation, and control of the transporting of passengers or property for hire in a taxicab. Specifically, criminal background checks for applicants for taxicab drivers' certificates are used in determining whether an applicant may pose a danger to the health, safety, or welfare of the traveling public.

The legislature further finds that there is uncertainty as to whether the counties have the authority to access the database of the Federal Bureau of Investigation or other agencies in order to conduct nationwide criminal background checks on applicants for taxicabs drivers' certificates.

The purpose of this Act is to increase the safety and security of Hawaii residents and visitors who utilize taxicab services by expressly authorizing the counties to conduct criminal background checks on taxicab drivers and applicants for taxicab drivers' certificates.

SECTION 2. Section 46-16.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (c) to read as follows:

"(c) Every county is empowered to regulate:

(1) Entry into the business of providing public passenger vehicle service within the jurisdiction of that county[.]; including conducting criminal history record checks on taxicab drivers and applicants for taxicab drivers' certificates, in accordance with section 846-2.7;

(2) The rates charged for the provision of public passenger vehicle service[.]; and

(3) The establishment of stands to be employed by one or a limited number of providers of public passenger vehicle service."

SECTION 3. Section 846-2.7, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:

"(b) Criminal history record checks may be conducted by:

(1) The department of health or its designee on operators of adult foster homes for individuals with developmental disabilities or developmental disabilities domiciliary homes and their employees, as provided by section 321-15.2;

(2) The department of health or its designee on prospective employees, persons seeking to serve as providers, or subcontractors in positions that place them in direct contact with clients when providing non-witnessed direct mental health or health care services as provided by section 321-171.5;

(3) The department of health or its designee on all applicants for licensure or certification for, operators for, prospective employees, adult volunteers, and all adults, except adults in care, at health care facilities as defined in section 321-15.2;

(4) The department of education on employees, prospective employees, and teacher trainees in any public school in positions that necessitate close proximity to children as provided by section 302A-601.5;

(5) The counties on employees and prospective employees who may be in positions that place them in close proximity to children in recreation or child care programs and services;

(6) The county liquor commissions on applicants for liquor licenses as provided by section 281-53.5;

(7) The county liquor commissions on employees and prospective employees involved in liquor administration, law enforcement, and liquor control investigations;

(8) The department of human services on operators and employees of child caring institutions, child placing organizations, and foster boarding homes as provided by section 346-17;

(9) The department of human services on prospective adoptive parents as established under section 346‑19.7;

(10) The department of human services on applicants to operate child care facilities, prospective employees of the applicant, and new employees of the provider after registration or licensure as provided by section 346-154;

(11) The department of human services on persons exempt pursuant to section 346-152 to be eligible to provide child care and receive child care subsidies as provided by section 346-152.5;

(12) The department of health on operators and employees of home and community-based case management agencies and operators and other adults, except for adults in care, residing in community care foster family homes as provided by section 321-15.2;

(13) The department of human services on staff members of the Hawaii youth correctional facility as provided by section 352-5.5;

(14) The department of human services on employees, prospective employees, and volunteers of contracted providers and subcontractors in positions that place them in close proximity to youth when providing services on behalf of the office or the Hawaii youth correctional facility as provided by section 352D-4.3;

(15) The judiciary on employees and applicants at detention and shelter facilities as provided by section 571-34;

(16) The department of public safety on employees and prospective employees who are directly involved with the treatment and care of persons committed to a correctional facility or who possess police powers including the power of arrest as provided by section 353C-5;

(17) The board of private detectives and guards on applicants for private detective or private guard licensure as provided by section 463-9;

(18) Private schools and designated organizations on employees and prospective employees who may be in positions that necessitate close proximity to children; provided that private schools and designated organizations receive only indications of the states from which the national criminal history record information was provided pursuant to section 302C-1;

(19) The public library system on employees and prospective employees whose positions place them in close proximity to children as provided by section 302A‑601.5;

(20) The State or any of its branches, political subdivisions, or agencies on applicants and employees holding a position that has the same type of contact with children, vulnerable adults, or persons committed to a correctional facility as other public employees who hold positions that are authorized by law to require criminal history record checks as a condition of employment as provided by section 78-2.7;

(21) The department of health on licensed adult day care center operators, employees, new employees, subcontracted service providers and their employees, and adult volunteers as provided by section 321-15.2;

(22) The department of human services on purchase of service contracted and subcontracted service providers and their employees serving clients of the adult protective and community services branch, as provided by section 346-97;

(23) The department of human services on foster grandparent program, senior companion program, and respite companion program participants as provided by section 346-97;

(24) The department of human services on contracted and subcontracted service providers and their current and prospective employees that provide home and community-based services under section 1915(c) of the Social Security Act, title 42 United States Code section 1396n(c), or under any other applicable section or sections of the Social Security Act for the purposes of providing home and community-based services, as provided by section 346-97;

(25) The department of commerce and consumer affairs on proposed directors and executive officers of a bank, savings bank, savings and loan association, trust company, and depository financial services loan company as provided by section 412:3-201;

(26) The department of commerce and consumer affairs on proposed directors and executive officers of a nondepository financial services loan company as provided by section 412:3-301;

(27) The department of commerce and consumer affairs on the original chartering applicants and proposed executive officers of a credit union as provided by section 412:10-103;

(28) The department of commerce and consumer affairs on:

(A) Each principal of every non-corporate applicant for a money transmitter license; and

(B) The executive officers, key shareholders, and managers in charge of a money transmitter's activities of every corporate applicant for a money transmitter license,

as provided by sections 489D-9 and 489D‑15;

(29) The department of commerce and consumer affairs on applicants for licensure and persons licensed under title 24;

(30) The Hawaii health systems corporation on:

(A) Employees;

(B) Applicants seeking employment;

(D) Current or prospective volunteers, providers, or contractors,

in any of the corporation's health facilities as provided by section 323F-5.5;

(31) The department of commerce and consumer affairs on:

(A) An applicant for a mortgage loan originator license; and

(B) Each control person, executive officer, director, general partner, and manager of an applicant for a mortgage loan originator company license,

as provided by chapter 454F;

(32) The state public charter school commission or public charter schools on employees, teacher trainees, prospective employees, and prospective teacher trainees in any public charter school for any position that places them in close proximity to children, as provided in section 302D-33;

(33) The counties on prospective employees who work with children, vulnerable adults, or senior citizens in community-based programs;

(34) The counties on prospective employees for fire department positions which involve contact with children or vulnerable adults;

(35) The counties on prospective employees for emergency medical services positions which involve contact with children or vulnerable adults;

(36) The counties on prospective employees for emergency management positions and community volunteers whose responsibilities involve planning and executing homeland security measures including viewing, handling, and engaging in law enforcement or classified meetings and assisting vulnerable citizens during emergencies or crises;

(37) The counties with respect to taxicab drivers and applicants for taxicab drivers' certificates as provided in section 46-16.5(c);

[~~(37)~~] (38) The State and counties on employees, prospective employees, volunteers, and contractors whose position responsibilities require unescorted access to secured areas and equipment related to a traffic management center;

[~~(38)~~] (39) The State and counties on employees and prospective employees whose positions involve the handling or use of firearms for other than law enforcement purposes;

[~~(39)~~] (40) The State and counties on current and prospective systems analysts and others involved in an agency's information technology operation whose position responsibilities provide them with access to proprietary, confidential, or sensitive information;

[~~(40)~~] (41) The department of commerce and consumer affairs on applicants for real estate appraiser licensure or certification as provided by chapter 466K;

[~~(41)~~] (42) The department of health or its designee on all license applicants, licensees, employees, contractors, and prospective employees of medical marijuana dispensaries, and individuals permitted to enter and remain in medical marijuana dispensary facilities as provided under sections 329D-15(a)(4) and 329D‑16(a)(3); and

[~~(42)~~] (43) Any other organization, entity, or the State, its branches, political subdivisions, or agencies as may be authorized by state law."

SECTION 4. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	3115
TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2016		S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII