Senator CLIMER proposed the following amendment (295R003.KMM.WC):

Amend the bill, as and if amended, by striking Section 40-1-75(A) and inserting:

/ "Section 40-1-75.(A)(1) A regulatory board or commission may not solely or in part deny a license to an applicant because of a prior criminal conviction, unless the criminal conviction directly relates to the duties and responsibilities of the occupation or profession for which the applicant is seeking a license. Regulatory boards and commissions are prohibited from using vague or generic terms including, but not limited to, 'moral turpitude' or 'good character', and from considering arrests without a subsequent conviction as a justification for denying an applicant a license.

(2) An applicant who has completed relevant pre-licensing requirements may not be denied a license unless the appropriate regulatory board or commission has given the applicant an opportunity to appear at a hearing to determine the applicant's fitness f or the occupation or profession. The hearing must include specific references to which crimes, if any, the board or commission is considering in relation to the applicant's fitness. The hearing must be scheduled within ninety days of the appropriate board or commission receiving notice that all relevant pre-licensing requirements have been completed. /