Recent legal, regulatory, compliance, and industry developments affecting background screening.
August 31, 2026
Source: Jackson Lewis P.C.
Washington State’s 2025 expanded Fair Chance Act, imposing additional limits on employers’ criminal information inquiries, went into effect for medium and large employers (15 or more employees) beginning July 1, 2026, and will be effective for small employers (fewer than 15 employees) beginning January 2027.
Read Full StoryAugust 12, 2026
San Francisco has expanded its Fair Chance Ordinance (FCO), barring employers from using certain out-of-state convictions in making employment decisions.
Source: Duane Morris LLP & Affiliates
July 22, 2026
Georgia expanded protections under its First Offender Act effective July 1, 2026.
Source: Jackson Lewis P.C.
July 9, 2026
FTC alleges tenant screening company violated the FCRA’s requirements, including by reporting duplicate records and by failing to disclose sources of data
Source: Federal Trade Commission
June 30, 2026
On July 1, 2026, Virginia’s Clean Slate Law Under the Clean Slate law, will impose new requirements for employers performing background checks in Virginia,
Source: Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
June 11, 2026
Screening companies must register with the Virginia State Police, pay a $30,000 annual fee for sealing order access, delete records known to be sealed, and investigate disputes at no cost.
Source: Consumer Financial Services Law Monitor
May 21, 2026
USCIS instituted sweeping new security vetting procedures on April 27, 2026, requiring enhanced FBI background checks and fingerprint reruns for many pending green card, citizenship, and asylum applications, which has caused temporary processing delays.
Source: SG Legal Group | Oleg Gherasimov, Esq.
April 28, 2026
The Action Expands Access to Approved Therapies and Supports State-Regulated Medical Marijuana Programs
Source: U.S. Dept of Justice - Dept of Public Affairs
April 27, 2026
Starting April 27, 2026, users who register for certain Clearinghouse accounts will need to prove their identity using a secure web application.
Source: FMCSA - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
April 18, 2026
The statewide ban also restricts consumer reporting agencies, which may not furnish credit history for employment purposes unless a statutory exemption applies.
Source: SHRM
February 11, 2026
California appellate courts ruled that consumers do not need to prove a concrete injury or actual harm to sue and recover statutory damages under California's Investigative Consumer Reporting Agencies Act (ICRAA).
Source: University of California, Berkeley | Law School