A. A state agency, board or commission that issues an occupational or professional license pursuant to Chapter 61, Articles 2 through 14E, 24, 24A and 31 NMSA 1978 shall, as soon as practicable after a person files an application for a license accompanied by any required fees:
(1) process the application; and
(2) issue a license to a qualified applicant who submits satisfactory evidence that the applicant:
(a) holds a license that is current and in good standing issued by another jurisdiction in the United States that has met the minimal licensing requirements that are substantially equivalent to the licensing requirements for the occupational or professional license the applicant applies for pursuant to Chapter 61, Articles 2 through 14E, 24, 24A and 31 NMSA 1978; and
(b) has provided fingerprints and other information necessary for a state and national criminal background check, if required.
B. A license issued pursuant to this section is not a provisional license and confers the same rights, privileges and responsibilities as a license issued pursuant to Chapter 61, Articles 2 through 14E, 24, 24A and 31 NMSA 1978.
History: Laws 2016, ch. 19, § 1; 2020, ch. 6, § 4.
ANNOTATIONSThe 2020 amendment, effective July 1, 2020, in Subsection A, in the introductory paragraph, after "accompanied by", deleted "the" and added "any".