Criminal Justice (Licensing)

HD 378 expands professional licensure opportunities by restricting how licensing authorities can consider applicants' criminal records. The bill prohibits boards from factoring in non-violent misdemeanors, sealed or expunged convictions, juvenile adjudications, and most offenses older than three years (with exceptions for serious crimes like violent felonies or sex offenses). If a license denial is based on a relevant criminal record, authorities must prove public safety concerns outweigh the applicant's rights and consider rehabilitation evidence like time since the offense, completion of sentences, or community involvement. The bill also mandates annual public reporting by licensing authorities on how often criminal history leads to license denials.

This bill amends license application rules for certain professional licenses (specifically referenced in Sections 12 and 15 of Chapter 138). It changes the automatic rejection of applicants with any felony conviction by adding a provision: individuals with felony convictions older than 10 years before applying may demonstrate rehabilitation. Licensing authorities must then consider this rehabilitation and whether the conviction should not automatically block the license. This directly affects applicants with past felony convictions who are seeking these specific licenses.