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Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2013 - 2014 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted:	April 3, 2013 02:49 PM
From:	Senator Richard L. Alloway, II
To:	All Senate members
Subject:	Background checks of individuals applying for admittance to the Pennsylvania Bar

In the near future I will introduce legislation to enhance the capacity of the Pennsylvania Board of Law Examiners to check the backgrounds of individuals applying for admittance to the Pennsylvania Bar. The Board has collaborated with other states on the most efficient and cost-effective ways to obtain comprehensive criminal histories for applicants. The Board believes the best way to achieve this is to require that each applicant be fingerprinted and the board obtain an FBI criminal records check. Not only will the use of an FBI criminal records check improve the ability of the board to verify criminal histories, it will make it easier for applicants, because it will obviate the need for applicants to obtain criminal records from multiple states. Some applicants have found it difficult to secure criminal history records from certain states in a timely manner. Application for the bar includes a tight timeframe and some applicants have reported that they have been unable to obtain a records check from certain states within that timeframe. Provisions for admittance to the Pennsylvania Bar are normally covered in bar admission rules approved by the Supreme Court. The FBI however, pursuant to Public Law 92-554, requires that a state pass enabling legislation in order for the FBI to exchange criminal history record information with state officials. The language I am proposing has been approved by the Board, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, the State Police and the FBI.

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