School Bus Driver
- Christine Zinkand
Criminal History Record Check (CHRC) Clearance
Update: effective 6/2/2023 Transportation Monitors are no longer required to complete a NHED Criminal History Record Check Clearance - Transportation Monitor checks are the responsibility of the SAU (see Technical Advisory)
During the 2019-2020 legislative session, HB 1558, which was an omnibus bill, was passed to address the issue of conducting a criminal history records check on school bus drivers and transportation monitors. Specifically, the intent of the legislation was to create a system by which one entity, the Credentialing Bureau within the Department of Education, would be in charge of receiving and reviewing the criminal history records checks for school bus drivers and transportation monitors. The Credentialing Bureau would review the criminal history records of these individuals—school bus drivers and transportation monitors—for the list of violations found in RSA 189:13-a, V.
For reference, those offenses, commonly referred to as the “Section V violations,” are as follows: RSA 630:1—Capital Murder RSA 630:1-a—First Degree Murder RSA 630:1-b—Second Degree Murder RSA 630:2—Manslaughter RSA 631:1 First Degree Assault RSA 632-A:2—Aggravated Felonious Sexual Assault RSA 632-A:3—Felonious Sexual Assault RSA 632-A:4—Sexual Assault (misdemeanor level) RSA 633:1—Kidnapping RSA 633:7—Human Trafficking RSA 639:2—Incest RSA 639:3—Endangering the Welfare of Child or Incompetent RSA 645:1, II or III—Indecent Exposure and Lewdness RSA 645:2—Prostitution and Related Offenses RSA 649-A:3—Child Pornography RSA 649-A:3-a—Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Images RSA 649-A:3-b—Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Images RSA 649-B:3—Computer Pornography and Child Exploitation Prevention RSA 649-B:4—Certain Uses of Computer Services Prohibited RSA 650:2—Obscene Matter Offenses RSA 318-B:2 Felony Level Possession of a Controlled Drug with Intent to Sell (within the last 10 years)
If the school bus driver or transportation monitor applicant’s criminal history does not have any of those specific offenses, then the Credentialing Bureau would issue that individual a criminal history records check clearance which would be valid for a period of five (5) years. The individual would then have to seek renewal of his or her criminal history records check clearance through the same process which granted the initial clearance through the Credentialing Bureau.
This criminal history clearance will allow the individual school bus driver or transportation monitor to work for any district throughout the state. As a practical matter, the new law shifts the responsibility of conducting the criminal history records check from the district—as a matter of employment—to the Credentialing Bureau. Hence, this shift alleviates the burden of having individual school districts conduct the criminal history records checks on each school bus driver and transportation monitor. The intent behind the law was to allow school bus drivers and transportation monitors more mobility to work throughout the state and thereby, help address the school bus driver shortage.
-excerpt from Bus Driver and Transportation Monitor Criminal History Checks Technical Advisory, available on the NHDOE website along with other Criminal History Record Check Technical Advisories. Updated with 1/1/23 effective RSA 189:13-a, V
Criminal History Record Check Clearance Process
CHRC Process Presentation
School Bus Drivers
School Bus Drivers employed at time of adoption of legislation:
Do not apply until the year your NH Department of Safety DMV Driver’s License expires.
You must submit the applications below no less than 60 days prior to the expiration of your NH Department of Safety DMV Driver’s License.
New School Bus Drivers:
Please follow the directions below to receive your Criminal History Record Check Clearance.
Click on screenshots below to enlarge if needed
School Bus Drivers
Please follow the directions below to receive your Criminal History Record Check Clearance.
Click on screenshots below to enlarge if needed,
Submit an application/fee to NH Department of Safety, Division of State Police, Central Repository for Criminal Records (NHDOS)
All questions about this part of the process (including fingerprinting) should be referred to NHDOS - Division of State Police - Criminal Records.
You can submit an application/fee to the NHDOS using either instructions below:
Department of Safety Portal Instructions:
Click on the following link to get to the DOS Portal https://services.dos.nh.gov/chri/cpo/
Click on “Schedule a New Appointment” box
Click on the box at the bottom certifying that you understand the process, and hit next.
Under Agency Selection select the following (Type of Agency: Education- Employee, Agency: NH Department of Education) from the drop down menus, then hit next:
Confirm your selection
Fill out the remainder of the form with your personal information
Schedule your appointment for fingerprinting
Confirm your appointment and pay the associated fee.
Contact Criminal Records to schedule your fingerprint appointment.
603-223-3867, press 1 to schedule a fingerprinting appointment at one of the LiveScan locations.
Download and complete the Contracted School Transportation Providers form below (DOS434)
Submit to NHDOS following the directions on the form below.
Submit an application/fee to NH Department of Education Bureau of Credentialing (NHDOE)
$100 Fee
Create a myNHDOE account/Ed ID
Make note of your Ed ID - you will need this to submit on your application.
Mail a copy of the front and back of your Driver’s License along with your application.
Download the Criminal History Record Check Clearance application for the NHDOE from our Paper Applications page.
Ed ID (from the myNHDOE step above) - handwrite on the upper left hand corner of the form.
Mail the completed, signed paper application, required documentation and fee to the address on the form (NHDOE).
Questions about this form can be submitted at the NHDOE Credentialing Help Desk link at the bottom of this page.
NHDOE processes clearance application
The NHDOE will process your Criminal History Record Check Clearance form and await notification from NHDOS of the completion of your Criminal History Record Release Form processing.
The NHDOE will review your Criminal History Record results for any convicted or pending disposition Section V violation offenses.
NHDOE notifies applicant of results
The NHDOE will either:
email an approval with a Criminal History Record Check Clearance document, or
email and mail a denial letter
Applicant provides notification to employer (school or bus company)
Issued Criminal History Record Check Clearance documents can be provided to employers (schools or bus companies) by the School Bus Driver applicant.
Renewal
Clearances shall be valid for 5 years or, for new bus driver applicants, for the duration of the individual’s current state issued driver’s license.
Applications for renewal are to be received by the Department of Education NO LATER THAN 60 days prior to the expiration of the previously issued clearance.
Follow the above directions at renewal time to submit for a new Criminal History Record Check Clearance.
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