A. All applicants for licensure as provided for in Chapter 61, Article 29 NMSA 1978 shall:
(1) be required to provide fingerprints only upon initial licensure on two fingerprint cards for submission to the federal bureau of investigation to conduct a national criminal history background check and to the department of public safety to conduct a state criminal history background check;
(2) pay the cost of obtaining the fingerprints and criminal history background checks; and
(3) have the right to inspect or challenge the validity of the records resulting from the background check if the applicant is denied licensure as established by commission rule.
B. Electronic live scans may be used for conducting criminal history background checks.
C. Criminal history records obtained by the commission pursuant to the provisions of this section are confidential. The commission is authorized to use criminal history records obtained from the federal bureau of investigation and the department of public safety to conduct background checks on applicants for certification as provided for in Chapter 61, Article 29 NMSA 1978.
D. Criminal history records obtained by the commission pursuant to the provisions of this section shall not be used for any purpose other than conducting background checks. Criminal history records obtained pursuant to the provisions of this section and the information contained in those records shall not be released or disclosed to any other person or agency, except pursuant to a court order or with the written consent of the person who is the subject of the records.
E. A person who releases or discloses the criminal history records or information contained in those records in violation of the provisions of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be sentenced pursuant to the provisions of Section 31-19-1 NMSA 1978.
History: Laws 2005, ch. 35, § 6; 2011, ch. 85, § 3; 2019, ch. 209, § 7.
ANNOTATIONSThe 2019 amendment, effective July 1, 2020, provided that applicants for licensure shall be required to provide fingerprints only upon initial licensure; in Subsection A, Paragraph A(1), after "provide fingerprints", added "only upon initial licensure", and after "criminal history", added "background".
The 2011 amendment, effective July 1 2011, rewrote the section to require fingerprinting and criminal history background checks of applicants for licensure.