Consumer Reporting Employment Clarification Act of 1998
Public Law 105-347 · S. 2561 · 105th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Bill Clinton (D) on Nov 2, 1998 · Finance and Financial Sector
Sponsor: Sen. Don Nickles (R-OK)
Cosponsors (1): Sen. Richard Bryan
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Consumer Reporting Employment Clarification Act of 1998 - Amends the Fair Credit Reporting Act to allow notice and consent requirements (regarding procurement of a consumer report for employment purposes) to be handled by oral, written, or electronic means when: (1) the consumer involved applies for certan motor carrier employment positions regulated by the Secretary of Transportation or a State transportation agency; and (2) the only interaction at that point between the applicant and the report procurer has been by such means. Allows such means to be used in those circumstances when an adverse action is taken based on the report.
(Sec. 3) Allows a consumer reporting agency to furnish such a report only if the agency meets certain requirements, including providing with the report, or having previously provided, a summary (currently, providing with the report a summary) of the consumer's rights.
(Sec. 4) Provides national security exemptions for a consumer reporting agency from requirements to disclose to a consumer: (1) the identity of each person that procured a report on that consumer; and (2) that public record information was reported that is likely to have an adverse effect on a consumer's ability to obtain employment.
(Sec. 5) Prohibits a consumer reporting agency from reporting on civil suits, civil judgments, and arrest records (currently, reporting on suits and judgments) that are more that seven years before the report or until the governing statute of limitations has expired, whichever is longer. Removes provisions prohibiting the reporting of certain criminal matters more than seven years before the report. Exempts records of criminal convictions from the general prohibition of reporting matters over seven years old.
Committees
The record shows no committee referral for this bill.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 8 actions.
- Nov 2, 1998Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 105-347.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Oct 21, 1998PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Oct 9, 1998FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Leach moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
- Oct 6, 1998FloorFloor · Introduced in the Senate, considered, read the third time, and passed without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.