[Text of section effective until May 4, 2012. For text effective May 4, 2012, see below.]

Section 172A. The criminal history systems board shall assess a fee of $30 for each request for criminal offender record information. A fee shall not be assessed for a request from a victim of a crime, a witness or a family member of a homicide victim, all as defined in section 1 of chapter 258B, from a governmental agency, or from such other persons as the board shall exempt. Certified agencies that provide services to the elderly, children, victims of crime, medically infirm persons, or the physically or mentally challenged shall be assessed a fee of $5 in addition to the agency’s fee rate on June 30, 2003, unless exempted by the board. The criminal history systems board shall assess a fee of $25 for each request for criminal offender record information from an individual seeking to obtain criminal offender record information pertaining to himself; provided, however, that if a person shall be found indigent, as defined in section 27A of chapter 261, the board shall not impose a fee. All such fees shall be deposited into the General Fund, excluding a nominal processing fee for online e-payments.

[Text of section as amended by 2010, 256, Sec. 22 effective May 4, 2012. See 2010, 256, Sec. 145 as amended by 2010, 359, Sec. 102. For text effective until May 4, 2012, see above.]

Section 172A. The commissioner shall assess a fee for each request for criminal offender record information or self-audit, according to a fee structure established by the secretary of public safety and security. No fee shall be assessed for a request made by a victim of crime or a witness or a family member of a homicide victim, all as defined in section 1 of chapter 258B, or for a request made by any local, state or federal government entity. The commissioner shall waive the fee or a portion of the fee from such other persons as provided in the department’s rules and regulations. The department is authorized to enter into contracts and agreements for reduced or bulk fees for requestors who make extensive use of the database.

The department shall be authorized, subject to appropriation, to retain a portion of the revenues received by the commonwealth under this section for the following purposes: to assist ex-offenders in obtaining and maintaining employment, including, but not limited to, workforce development training and other applicable training programs, training and auditing requestors described in subsection (a) of section 172, providing education and assistance regarding the correction of criminal records, including but not limited to, training judges, providing the necessary information to employers and other applicable persons in possession of an applicant’s criminal offender record information, and to operate and maintain the public safety information system and the criminal records review board.