# Understanding the SHARE Act of 2025

This bill allows the FBI to share criminal background check information with state licensing boards so they can decide whether to grant professional licenses to people who want to work across state lines. The key innovation here is supporting interstate compacts—agreements between multiple states that let professionals like nurses, teachers, or contractors work in different states without getting a separate license in each one.

Here's how it works in practice: Say you're a nurse licensed in Texas who wants to work in Colorado under a multistate nursing compact. Instead of Colorado having to request your criminal history separately, the FBI can now provide that information directly to Colorado's nursing board through an agreement with Texas. This speeds up the process and makes it easier for professionals to move between states without unnecessary delays. The bill specifically applies to occupations and professions covered by interstate compacts—formal agreements that states have already set up to recognize licenses across their borders.

The bill includes important privacy protections to make sure criminal history information doesn't get misused. State licensing boards can only use the background check information to decide whether someone should get a license. They cannot share the actual criminal history details with the interstate compact commission, other state agencies, or the public. However, they can tell the compact commission whether the background check passed or failed—just a simple yes or no—which allows the compact to track whether applicants have been cleared. This balance lets states work together efficiently while keeping sensitive criminal records private and limited to their intended purpose.