By Bob Katzen

The House approved and sent to the Senate legislation that would prohibit employers from obtaining the credit reports of existing or potential employees except in certain circumstances including hiring for a position that requires national security clearance; a position for which a person is required by federal or state law to obtain a consumer report; and some executive or managerial positions at a financial institution.

The [bill] reduces barriers to employment by limiting the use of personal credit reports in the hiring process,” said sponsor former Duxbury representative Josh Cutler who is now Gov. Maura Healey’s Undersecretary of Apprenticeship, Work-based Learning and Policy in the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development. ”Credit scores were never intended to be used for employment purposes and pre-employment credit checks can create needless barriers for otherwise qualified workers. Eleven other states already taken similar steps.”

Sen. Mike Barrett (D-Lexington), the Senate sponsor of the bill, did not respond to repeated requests from Beacon Hill Roll Call to comment on the bill and its passage.