HB300 Summary

• Prohibits licensees of professional licensing boards in Title 34 of Alabama Code from unlawfully discriminating or knowingly permitting discrimination based on race, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, religion, age, or disability in hiring, employment, client representation, and public services.

• Establishes a judicial review board consisting of nine circuit court judges appointed by the Governor to hear complaints of discrimination violations by licensees.

• Requires the Governor to ensure the board's membership reflects racial, gender, geographic, urban, rural, and economic diversity of the state.

• Prohibits professional licensing boards from initiating disciplinary investigations or proceedings against a licensee unless the judicial review board first adjudicates the complaint and finds misconduct occurred.

• Makes judicial review board findings admissible as evidence in any disciplinary proceeding, and allows licensees under investigation to submit complaints to the review board; requires simultaneous proceedings if the act conflicts with existing professional ethics rules.