Colorado agencies would check criminal histories for child-welfare homes

County departments, the state department, and licensed child-placement agencies would conduct fingerprint-based state and national criminal-history checks before approving or renewing covered homes. The checks cover applicants, employees, and people living in foster-care or kinship-foster-care homes, as well as specified people involved in licensed facilities and agencies. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation would send fingerprint records only to the authorized state or county department. Unauthorized staff and private child-placement agencies would receive only eligibility information, or notice that the investigation is inconclusive and needs further review. An arrest record without a final result would require an additional name-based court-record check, with related court information kept confidential. The checks would occur before a certificate, license, or renewal is issued, and when covered people join or begin living at a licensed facility.

Officials would deny or revoke a kinship foster-care certificate when required records show specified serious child-abuse or sexual offenses. The limits apply to kinship foster-care applicants and to certified court records showing qualifying convictions or deferred agreements from Colorado or another state. Kinship-care applicants would be screened for offenses listed in section 19-3-406 (5). A certified out-of-state court order could block approval for felony child abuse or a substantially similar sexual offense against a child. A deferred judgment or deferred prosecution agreement for qualifying child abuse or sexual offenses could also block approval. The text also bars certain licenses or certificates when a court has found an applicant incapable of operating the facility because of mental incompetence or insanity. The restrictions would apply when officials issue, renew, suspend, or revoke a certificate or license.

The state would make $350,000 available for information-technology services to help the Department of Human Services implement the act. The funding would go to the governor’s Office of Information Technology from money reallocated by the Department of Human Services. The act anticipates that the Department of Human Services will receive $350,000 in federal funds. The appropriation is subject to the notation and limits in the annual general appropriation act. The Office of Information Technology may use the money for services provided to the Department of Human Services. The funding applies to state fiscal year 2026-27.