Under existing law, certain occupational licensing boards may automatically disqualify an applicant convicted of a felony from licensure unless the individual has received an order of limited relief granted by a circuit court, in which case the occupational licensing board may not automatically disqualify the individual but may consider the conduct underlying the conviction when determining whether to disqualify the individual from licensure. This bill would require an occupational licensing board, when requested by an individual, to determine, based on a number of factors, whether that individual's criminal conviction disqualifies him or her from obtaining an occupational license. This bill would require an occupational licensing board to publish on its official website a list of all criminal offenses that disqualify an individual from licensure. This bill would prohibit an occupational licensing board, absent applicable state law, from using certain vague terms in rules as a reason for disqualification from licensure and from considering an applicant's criminal record except when the offense specifically and directly relates to the duties and responsibilities of the licensed occupation. This bill would also repeal the laws relating to providing for, petitioning for, and obtaining an order of limited relief.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 41-9A-2