A. The department is authorized to obtain the criminal history records of applicants and licensees and to exchange fingerprint data directly with the federal bureau of investigation, the department of public safety and any other law enforcement agency or organization. The department shall require fingerprinting of applicants and licensees for the purposes of this section.

B. The secretary shall adopt and promulgate rules to:

(1) require criminal history background checks for applicants and licensees;

(2) identify the information from a criminal history background check that may form the basis of a denial, suspension or revocation of licensure or any other disciplinary action; and

(3) otherwise carry out the provisions of this section.

C. The department shall comply with applicable confidentiality requirements of the department of public safety and the federal bureau of investigation regarding the dissemination of criminal history background check information.

D. An applicant or licensee whose license is denied, suspended or revoked, or who is otherwise disciplined based on information obtained in a criminal history background check, shall be entitled to review the information obtained pursuant to this section and to appeal the decision pursuant to the Uniform Licensing Act [61-1-1 to 61-1-31 NMSA 1978].

E. The applicant or licensee shall bear any costs associated with ordering or conducting criminal history background checks.

F. The provisions of the Criminal Offender Employment Act [28-2-1 to 28-2-6 NMSA 1978] shall govern any consideration of criminal history records required or permitted by the Emergency Medical Services Act.

G. As used in this section:

(1) "applicant" means a person applying for licensure to provide emergency medical services under the Emergency Medical Services Act; and

(2) "licensee" means a person that holds a license to provide emergency medical services pursuant to the Emergency Medical Services Act.

History: Laws 2014, ch. 47, § 2.

Effective dates. — Laws 2014, ch. 47, § 3 made Laws 2014, ch. 47, § 2 effective July 1, 2014.