1Amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the
2Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in judicial boards and
3commissions, authorizing the Pennsylvania Board of Law
4Examiners to obtain criminal history record checks.

5The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
6hereby enacts as follows:

7Section 1. Chapter 21 of Title 42 of the Pennsylvania
8Consolidated Statutes is amended by adding a subchapter to read:

9Subchapter G

10Pennsylvania Board of Law Examiners

11Sec.

122161. Criminal history record checks.

13§ 2161. Criminal history record checks.

14(a) Authorization.--The Pennsylvania Board of Law Examiners
15may require that persons applying for admission to the bar and
16the practice of law in this Commonwealth submit:

17(1) A Federal criminal history record check through the
18Federal Bureau of Investigation.

1(2) A State criminal history record check through the
2Pennsylvania State Police.

3(b) Fingerprints required.--If an applicant as required
4under subsection (a) submits fingerprints to the Pennsylvania
5State Police for the purpose of obtaining criminal history
6record checks, the Pennsylvania State Police, or its authorized
7agent, shall submit the fingerprints to the Federal Bureau of
8Investigation for the purpose of verifying the identity of the
9applicant and obtaining a current record of any criminal arrests
10and convictions.

11(c) Use of information.--Any information relating to an
12applicant and obtained under this section by the Pennsylvania
13Board of Law Examiners may be interpreted and used by the
14Pennsylvania Board of Law Examiners to determine the applicant's
15character, fitness and suitability for admission to the bar and
16the practice of law in this Commonwealth.

17(d) Inapplicability.--The provisions of 18 Pa.C.S. § 9121(b)
18(2) (relating to general regulations) shall not apply if a
19request for a criminal history record check is submitted
20pursuant to this section.

21Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.