How did credit checks for jobs become legal at all?

It's a positive sign to see that many states are making changes to the law but how did this ever happen in the first place? Everyone knows about how quickly a health situation can destroy the life savings of Americans so why should credit checks have anything to do with applying for a job? Perhaps there are some specific exceptions but as a general rule, it's nonsense.

Wisconsin state Rep. Kim Hixson drafted a bill in his state shortly after hearing from Terry Becker, an auto mechanic who struggled to find work.

Becker said it all started with medical bills that piled up when his now 10-year-old son began having seizures as a toddler. In the first year alone, Becker ran up $25,000 in medical debt.

Over 4 1/2 months, he was turned down for at least eight positions for which he had authorized the employer to conduct a credit check, Becker said. He said one potential employer told him, "If your credit is bad, then you'll steal from me."

"I was in a deep depression. I had lost a business, I was behind on my bills and I was unable to get a job," he said.