AR HB1057

Requires designated caregiver applicants to apply for or authorize state and national criminal background checks conducted by the Arkansas State Police Identification Bureau and the FBI, including fingerprinting.

Makes applicants responsible for paying all fees associated with criminal background checks and requires them to authorize release of results to the Department of Health.

Changes criminal background check requirements for dispensary and cultivation facility applicants from permissive ("may") to mandatory ("shall") language, establishing the same fingerprinting and federal standards compliance procedures.

Applies identical mandatory criminal background check procedures to dispensary agent and cultivation facility agent applicants, with results forwarded to the appropriate regulatory division.

Approved March 21, 2017.