CRIMINAL HISTORY RECORD INFORMATION APPROVAL REQUIRED FOR CERTIFICATION

(a) The commission may not certify a person as fire protection personnel unless the commission, after review, has approved fingerprint-based criminal history record information about the person obtained from the Department of Public Safety under Subchapter F, Chapter 411, and from the Federal Bureau of Investigation under Section 411.087. (b) The applicant for certification or the fire department may submit the required fingerprint-based state and national criminal history record information to the commission. If neither the applicant nor the fire department submits the required criminal history record information to the commission, the commission shall obtain the required criminal history record information pursuant to Sections 411.087 and 411.1236. (c) The commission by rule shall establish criteria for denying a person certification to be fire protection personnel based on the person's criminal history record information. The criteria must relate to a person's fitness to serve as fire protection personnel. (d) Criminal history record information received by the commission is privileged and confidential and for commission use only.