(Columbia-AP) Feb. 5, 2004 -- The House on Thursday approved a bill requiring background checks for caregivers in nursing homes.

Anderson Representative Brian White says the bill allows caregivers to work for several nursing homes without undergoing a separate check for each facility. It also removes mandatory checks for high school and technical college students who work at nursing homes.

White says the bill gives nursing home officials the option of using state background checks instead of federal background checks. He says federal checks can take up to six months.

Posted 5:12pm by BrettWitt