The bill amends New Mexico's licensure laws to create an expedited licensing process for qualified applicants across various professional and occupational boards. It introduces an expedited license for individuals who are currently licensed in good standing in another state, territory, the District of Columbia, or a foreign country, contingent upon the payment of required fees. This expedited process applies to several professions, including genetic counseling, polysomnography, physician assistants, and anesthesiologist assistants, among others. The bill also repeals outdated provisions and clarifies licensure requirements, replacing the previous temporary licensing stipulation with a more efficient expedited licensing approach.

Furthermore, the bill adds a new section to the Signed Language Interpreting Practices Act, detailing the criteria for granting expedited licenses to applicants who are licensed in good standing elsewhere and certified by a recognized signed language interpreter organization. It also establishes that licensing fees cannot be increased more than once per calendar year, with the first increase capped at thirty dollars and subsequent increases limited to five percent of the existing fee. This aims to ensure that the costs associated with obtaining a license remain manageable for applicants, ultimately facilitating the entry of qualified professionals into the New Mexico workforce.

Statutes affected:
introduced version: 61-6A-8, 61-6B-3, 61-7A-8, 61-11-10, 61-12F-1, 61-12G-1, 61-17A-5, 61-27B-33, 61-29-9, 61-30-20, 61-32-10, 61-33-5