Relating to the applicability of sex offender registration requirements to the offense of child grooming.

Contracts

• Vendor MSAs: Amend Master Service Agreements with staffing, security, and facility management vendors. Explicitly require them to screen for Penal Code § 15.032. A generic "felony check" clause is no longer sufficient; contracts must specify "all reportable sex offenses under Chapter 62."
• Employment Agreements: Ensure "Termination for Cause" provisions define "conduct requiring sex offender registration" as grounds for immediate dismissal, distinct from standard criminal convictions.

Hiring/Training

• Adjudication Matrix: Update your hiring criteria to reclassify Child Grooming from "General Felony" to "Sex Offense/Registry Disqualification." This typically moves the offense from a 7-year lookback to a permanent disqualification for sensitive roles.
• HR Training: Instruct hiring managers that a "clean" registry check does *not* clear candidates convicted prior to May 2025 (see Strategic Ambiguities below).

Reporting & Record-Keeping

• Vendor Audits: Retain written confirmation from your Consumer Reporting Agency (background check provider) that their database ingestion protocols have been updated to capture this specific code section as of the effective date.
• Adverse Action: Ensure FCRA notices accurately reflect that a denial based on this charge is now a "registry-based" denial, which carries different legal weight than a standard conviction.

Fees & Costs

• Cost Impact: Low. There are no new state fees for businesses. Anticipate potential minor administrative costs if third-party background check vendors adjust pricing for expanded registry monitoring.