(a)        The Department of Public Safety may provide to the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Education and Training Standards Commission a criminal history from the State and National Repositories of Criminal Histories for any person filing a notice of candidacy, or any potential appointee to fill a vacancy, to the office of sheriff. The North Carolina Sheriffs’ Education and Training Standards Commission shall provide to the Department of Public Safety, along with the request, the fingerprints of the person filing a notice of candidacy, or any potential appointee to fill a vacancy, to the office of sheriff; a form signed by the individual consenting to the criminal record check and use of fingerprints and other identifying information required by the State and National Repositories; and any additional information required by the Department of Public Safety. The fingerprints of the individual shall be forwarded to the State Bureau of Investigation for a search of the State’s criminal history record file, and the State Bureau of Investigation shall forward a set of fingerprints to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a national criminal history record check.

(b)        The criminal history report shall be provided to the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Education and Training Standards Commission, who shall keep all information obtained pursuant to this section confidential to the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Education and Training Standards Commission. A criminal history report obtained as provided in this section is not a public record under Chapter 132 of the N.C. Gen. Stat.. ?(2021-107, s. 9.)