2023 New Mexico Statutes › Chapter 61 - Professional and Occupational Licenses › Article 1 - Uniform Licensing › Section 61-1-31.1 - Expedited licensure; issuance.

A. A board that issues an occupational or professional license shall, as soon as practicable but no later than thirty days after an out-of-state licensee files a complete application for an expedited license accompanied by any required fees:
(1) process the completed application; and
(2) issue a license to the qualified applicant who submits satisfactory evidence that the applicant:
(a) holds a license that is current and in good standing issued by another licensing jurisdiction;
(b) has practiced and held an active license in the profession or occupation for which expedited licensure is sought for a period required by New Mexico law; and
(c) provides fingerprints and other information necessary for a state or national criminal background check or both if required by law or rule of the board.
B. An expedited license is a one-year provisional license that confers the same rights, privileges and responsibilities as regular licenses issued by a board; provided that a board may allow for the initial term of an expedited license to be greater than one year by board rule or may extend an expedited license upon a showing of extenuating circumstances.
C. Before the end of the expedited license term and upon application, a board shall issue a regular license through its license renewal process. If a board requires a state or national examination for initial licensure that was not required when the out-of-state applicant was licensed in the other licensing jurisdiction, the board shall issue the expedited license and may require the license holder to pass the required examination prior to renewing the license.
D. A board by rule shall determine those states and territories of the United States and the District of Columbia from which the board will not accept an applicant for expedited licensure and determine any foreign countries from which the board will accept an applicant for expedited licensure. The list of those licensing jurisdictions shall be posted on the board's website. The list of disapproved licensing jurisdictions shall include the specific reasons for disapproval. The lists shall be reviewed by the board annually to determine if amendments to the rule are warranted.
History:
Laws 2016, ch. 19, § 1; 2020, ch. 6, § 4; 2022, ch. 39, § 7; 2023, ch. 190, § 22.
ANNOTATIONS
The 2023 amendment,
effective July 1, 2023, clarified language in the section, and provided that the board may allow for an initial term of an expedited license to be greater than one year by board rule; in Subsection A, in the introductory clause, after "licensee files", deleted "an" and added "a complete"; in Paragraph A(1), added "completed" preceding "application"; in Subparagraph A(2)(b), after "has practiced", added "and held an active license"; and in Subsection B, added "allow for the initial term of an expedited license to be greater than one year by board rule or may".
The 2022 amendment,
effective May 18, 2022, revised procedures for expedited licensure for professional and occupational license applicants that hold a license that is current and in good standing in another licensing jurisdiction, provided that a license issued under the expedited licensure process will effectively be a one-year provisional license that confers the same rights, privileges and responsibilities as a regular license, provided that a board may extend an expedited license upon a showing of extenuating circumstances, provided that a board shall issue a regular license, upon application, through its license renewal process before the end of the expedited license period, required a board to determine by rule, and to post on its website, which states and territories of the United States or the District of Columbia from which the board will not accept an applicant for expedited licensure and those foreign countries from which the board will accept an applicant for expedited licensure, required that the list of disapproved licensing jurisdictions include a reason for disapproval, and required the board to review the lists annually to determine if amendments to the rule are needed; in Subsection A, after "license pursuant to", deleted Chapter 61 Articles 2 through 14E, 24, 24A and 31 NMSA 1978" and added "this 2022 act", after "as soon as practicable", added "but no later than thirty days", after the next occurrence of "after", deleted "a person" and added "an out-of-state licensee", and after "files an application for", deleted "a" and added "an expedited"; in Subparagraph A(2)(a), after "issued by another", added "licensing", and after "jurisdiction", deleted "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", added a new Subparagraph A(2)(b) and redesignated former Subparagraph A(2)(b) as Subparagraph A(2)(c); in Subsection B, added "An expedited", after "license is", deleted "not", added "one-year" preceding "provisional license", after "rights, privileges and responsibilities as", deleted "a license" and added "regular licenses", and after "issued", deleted "pursuant to Chapter 61 Articles 2 through 14E, 24, 24A and 31 NMSA 1978" and added "by a board; provided that a board may extend an expedited license upon a showing of extenuating circumstances"; and added Subsections C and D.
Temporary provisions.
— Laws 2022, ch. 39, § 104 provided that a board that is required by Laws 2022, ch. 39 to change its licensing provisions to allow for new or different expedited licensure shall have rules in place and operational by January 1, 2023.
The 2020 amendment,
effective July 1, 2020, in Subsection A, in the introductory paragraph, after "accompanied by", deleted "the" and added "any".