Creating a domestic violence registry

HB 5253 creates a confidential domestic violence registry maintained by the West Virginia State Police Criminal Identification Bureau. The registry lists individuals convicted of three or more domestic violence offenses (as defined in state law), allowing authorized entities like childcare facilities, residential care homes, and home care providers to conduct confidential background checks before hiring staff or volunteers who interact with children, incapacitated adults, or adults receiving behavioral health services. Prosecuting attorneys must submit relevant conviction data to the registry, and the bill specifies that only "requesters" (such as employers or care providers) can access the information for employment screening purposes. The law aims to protect vulnerable individuals by enabling confidential verification of a person's domestic violence history prior to placement in caregiving roles.