(1) As used in this section, "felony offender" means any person who has been convicted of, entered an Alford plea to, or pleaded guilty to the commission of a capital offense or a felony.
(2) Any paid or volunteer fire department certified by the Kentucky Fire Commission, ambulance service licensed by the Commonwealth of Kentucky, or rescue squad officially affiliated with a local disaster and emergency services organization or with the Division of Emergency Management may apply to the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet or the Administrative Office of the Courts for a felony offender record check on applicants for employment or membership with the fire department, ambulance service, or rescue squad.
(3) Each application form, provided by a fire department, ambulance service, or rescue squad to an applicant for employment or membership, shall conspicuously state the following: "FOR EMPLOYMENT WITH OR MEMBERSHIP WITH A FIRE DEPARTMENT, AMBULANCE SERVICE, OR RESCUE SQUAD, STATE LAW PERMITS A CRIMINAL RECORD CHECK AS A CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT OR MEMBERSHIP." (4) Any request for records under this section shall be on a form approved by the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet or the Administrative Office of the Courts. The Justice and Public Safety Cabinet and the Administrative Office of the Courts shall not charge a fee for making record checks.