Often, seemingly innocuous licensing bills have provisions including expansive and vague language which could render individuals with a criminal background, no matter what crimes they have been convicted of or how long ago their conviction was, unable to procure certain occupational licenses. The following are examples of this type of legislation that have already been the subject of public hearings.
• H 7447 would broadly allow the denial of a license for genetic counseling for a wide range of offenses and has no process for appeal or discretionary consideration for individuals who have demonstrated rehabilitation or whose crimes were committed far in the past.
• H 7549 would allow for the denial of a background check clearance certificate to certain license applicants to drive passengers for hire based on a broad and disparate range of offenses.
• S 2522 concerned the licensing of medical lab professionals. Although the bill contained many protections for individuals with criminal records applying for this license, we argued that, unlike other licensed professions which require background checks, medical professionals are not in contact with the public and thus should not be subject to a background check in the first place.
