Section 7-1-703 - Investigation of applicants; background checks of employees and others(a) As used in this Code section, the term "conviction data" means a record of a finding, verdict, or plea of guilty or plea of nolo contendere with regard to any crime, regardless of whether an appeal of the conviction has been sought.(b) The department shall conduct an investigation of every applicant for licensure to determine the financial responsibility, experience, character, and general fitness of such applicant. The department may issue the applicant a license to cash payment instruments if the department determines to its general satisfaction that: (1) The applicant is financially sound and responsible and able to cash payment instruments in an honest, fair, and efficient manner and with the confidence and trust of the community; and(2) All conditions for licensure set forth in this article or the rules and regulations of the department have been satisfied.(c) The department shall not issue a license or may revoke a license if it finds that the applicant or licensee; any person who is a director, officer, partner, covered employee, or ultimate equitable owner of the applicant or licensee; or any individual who directs the affairs of or controls or establishes policy for the applicant or licensee has been convicted of a felony in any jurisdiction or of a crime which, if committed within this state, would constitute a felony under the laws of this state. For the purposes of this article, a person shall be deemed to have been convicted of a crime if such person shall have pleaded guilty or nolo contendere to a charge thereof before a court or federal magistrate or shall have been found guilty thereof by the decision or judgment of a court or federal magistrate or by the verdict of a jury, irrespective of the pronouncement of sentence or the suspension thereof and regardless of whether first offender treatment without adjudication of guilt pursuant to the charge was entered or an adjudication or sentence was otherwise withheld or not entered on that charge, unless and until such plea of guilty or such decision, judgment, or verdict shall have been set aside, reversed, or otherwise abrogated by lawful judicial process or until probation, sentence, or both probation and sentence of a first offender have been successfully completed and documented or unless the person convicted of the crime shall have received a pardon therefor from the President of the United States or the governor or other pardoning authority in the jurisdiction where the conviction occurred.(d) The department shall be authorized to obtain conviction data with respect to any applicant or licensee; any person who is a director, officer, partner, covered employee, or ultimate equitable owner of the applicant or licensee; or any individual who directs the affairs of or controls or establishes policy for the applicant or licensee. Criminal history record checks may be requested by the department through the Georgia Crime Information Center and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The department shall have the authority to receive the results of such checks. In connection with an application under this article, the department may use the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System and Registry as a channeling agent for the submission of fingerprints to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and any governmental agency or entity authorized to receive such information for a state, national, and international criminal history background check and the receipt of such checks by the department. Fees required for a criminal history record check by the Georgia Crime Information Center or the Federal Bureau of Investigation shall be paid by the applicant or licensee.(e) Upon request by the department, each applicant; each licensee; any person who is a director, officer, partner, covered employee, or ultimate equitable owner of the applicant or licensee; or any individual who directs the affairs of or controls or establishes policy for the applicant or licensee shall submit to the department fingerprints, the required records search fees, and such other information as may be required. Fees for background checks that the department administers shall be submitted to the department by applicants or licensees together with fingerprints, and the department is authorized to net such fees to recover any costs incurred by the department related to running the background checks. Upon receipt of fingerprints, fees, and other required information from the department, the Georgia Crime Information Center shall promptly transmit fingerprints to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a search of bureau records and an appropriate report and shall promptly conduct a search of its own records and records to which it has access. The Georgia Crime Information Center shall notify the department in writing of any derogatory finding, including, but not limited to, any conviction data regarding the fingerprint records check, or if there is no such finding. All conviction data received by the department shall be used by the department for the exclusive purpose of carrying out the responsibilities of this article, shall not be a public record, shall be confidential, and shall not be disclosed to any other person or agency except to any person or agency which otherwise has a legal right to inspect such data. All such records shall be maintained by the department pursuant to laws regarding such records and the rules and regulations of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Georgia Crime Information Center, as applicable.(f) Every applicant and licensee shall be authorized and required to obtain and maintain the results of criminal background checks on covered employees. Such criminal background checks shall be commercial background checks. Applicants and licensees shall be responsible for any applicable fees charged by the company performing the criminal background checks. An applicant or licensee may only employ a person whose background data has been checked and has been found to be in compliance with all lawful requirements prior to the initial date of hire. This provision does not apply to directors, officers, partners, or ultimate equitable owners of applicants or licensees or to persons who direct the affairs of or control or establish policy for applicants or licensees, whose background shall have been investigated through the department before taking office, beginning employment, or securing ownership. The department shall be entitled to review the files of any applicant or licensee to determine whether the required commercial background checks have been conducted and whether all covered employees are qualified. Notwithstanding the requirement that applicants and licensees conduct such commercial background checks, the department shall retain the right to obtain conviction data on covered employees of applicants and licensees pursuant to subsection (d) of this Code section.Amended by 2024 Ga. Laws 701,§ 1, eff. 7/1/2024.Amended by 2023 Ga. Laws 348,§ 34, eff. 7/1/2023.Amended by 2020 Ga. Laws 521,§ 7, eff. 7/29/2020.Amended by 2015 Ga. Laws 64,§ 29, eff. 7/1/2015.Added by 2014 Ga. Laws 532,§ 2, eff. 7/1/2014.