The criminal identification bureau may charge, and any requester shall pay, a user charge of $10 for each request for information made by a requester to the central abuse registry. In order to expedite requests by requesters, the criminal identification bureau may establish a procedure permitting service providers or qualified entities as defined in §15-2C-1 of this code to deposit funds with the bureau in anticipation of requests. Fees pursuant to this section shall be paid into a special account in the State Treasury to be expended for:
(1) Registry purposes and criminal recordkeeping; (2) information technology support and infrastructure; and (3) technology-related hardware and/or software that is associated with the routine operations of the West Virginia State Police Criminal Identification Bureau, including, but not limited to, the creation, transport, storage, and delivery of criminal justice information: Provided, That for and after the fiscal year ending June 30, 1998, all expenditures shall be made in accordance with appropriation by the Legislature. Amounts collected which are found from time-to-time to exceed the funds needed for central abuse registry and criminal recordkeeping purposes may be transferred to other accounts or funds and redesignated for other purposes by appropriation of the Legislature. For purposes of this section, the term "criminal recordkeeping" means the compiling of fingerprints, photographs, criminal disposition reports, uniform crime report statistics, and other relevant data regarding the arrest, conviction, incarceration, and post-conviction status of criminal violators and sex offenders.Amended by 2020 Acts, ch. 291 (SB 676), eff. 5/13/2020.