AN ACT relating to professions and occupations.

Amend KRS 335B.010 to define terms related to licensing and public employment qualifications; amend KRS 335B.020 to narrow the class of offenses to which the chapter applies, prohibit disqualifying individuals from pursing a professional license solely due to a finding that the applicant lacks good character, add consideration of the age of the person at the time the crime was committed, the evidence relevant to the circumstances of the crime, and evidence of rehabilitation in making licensure decisions; amend KRS 335B.030 to require that before a hiring or licensing authority denies an individual a professional license due to a prior conviction of a crime to notify the individual in writing of the specific offense that is the basis of the denial, the reasons the offense was determined to directly relate to the duties and responsibilities of the occupation and pose a reasonable threat to public safety, and that the applicant has a right to submit additional information within 30 days which the licensing authority is required to consider; require that upon a hiring or liensing authority denying an individual a profesional license due to a prior conviction of a crime to notify the individual in writing of the specific offense that is the basis of the denial and the reasons the offense was determined to directly relate to the duties and responsibilities of the occupation and pose a reasonable threat to public safety; create new sections of KRS Chapter 335B to allow a person with a prior conviction of a crime to request an initial determination regarding whether a prior conviction of crime would disqualify the individual from licensure and require that this initial determination is binding on the hiring or licensing authority; require each hiring or licensing authority to publish information on its website pertaining to applicants with a prior conviction of a crime; require each hiring or licensing authority that is authorized to consider the criminal conviction of an applicant to provide an annual report to the Legislative Research Commission; amend various sections of KRS Chapters 309, 317A, and 327 to conform; EFFECTIVE January 1, 2026.