House Bill 938 Summary

• Prohibits occupational and state agency licensing boards from denying licensure based solely on a determination that a conviction is for a crime of moral turpitude.

• Requires boards to consider specific factors when evaluating criminal convictions, including crime severity, date, applicant age, circumstances, nexus to duties, rehabilitation efforts, and subsequent criminal history.

• Establishes procedural requirements for boards, including providing written findings within 60 days of denial, allowing applicants 30 days to respond to criminal history concerns, and limiting reapplication restrictions to no more than two years.

• Allows individuals to petition boards for predetermination of whether their criminal history will disqualify them from licensure before completing education or training requirements, with board response required within 45 days.

• Applies G.S. 93B-8.1 requirements across multiple licensing statutes for occupations including medical professionals, engineers, real estate agents, auctioneers, and various other licensed professions; effective October 1, 2024.