2018 -- S 2995

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LC005943

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2018

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS - EQUAL OPPORTUNITY AND

AFFIRMATIVE ACTION

     

     Introduced By: Senator Harold M. Metts

     Date Introduced: June 22, 2018

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 28-5.1-14 of the General Laws in Chapter 28-5.1 entitled "Equal

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Opportunity and Affirmative Action" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     28-5.1-14. State licensing and regulatory agencies.

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     (a) State agencies shall not discriminate by considering race, color, religion, sex, sexual

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orientation, gender, identity or expression, age, national origin, or disability in granting, denying,

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or revoking a license or charter, nor shall any person, corporation, or business firm which is

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licensed or chartered by the state unlawfully discriminate against or segregate any person on these

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grounds. All businesses licensed or chartered by the state shall operate on a nondiscriminatory

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basis, according to equal employment treatment and access to their services to all persons, except

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unless otherwise exempted by the laws of the state. Any licensee, charter holder, or retail sales

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permit holder who fails to comply with this policy is subject to any disciplinary action that is

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consistent with the legal authority and rules and regulations of the appropriate licensing or

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regulatory agency. State agencies which have the authority to grant, deny, or revoke licenses or

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charters will cooperate with the state equal opportunity office to prevent any person, corporation,

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or business firm from discriminating because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation,

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gender, identity or expression, age, national origin, or disability or from participating in any

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practice which may have a disparate effect on any protected class within the population. The state

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equal opportunity office shall monitor the equal employment opportunity activities and

 

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affirmative action plans of all such organizations.

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     (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of the general or public laws to the contrary,

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including, but not limited to, licenses, permits, certification, or registration authorized and

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administered by the Rhode Island departments of health, labor and training, and business

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regulation under titles 5, 27, and 23, no person shall be disqualified to practice, pursue or engage

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in any occupation, trade, vocation, profession or business for which a license, permit, certificate

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or registration is required to be issued by the state or any of its agencies, or any state licensing

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board or commission, nor shall such license, permit, certificate, or registration be suspended or

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revoked solely or in part because of a prior conviction of a crime or crimes, unless the crime or

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crimes for which the person was convicted directly relate to the occupation for which the license

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is sought.

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     (c) In determining if a conviction directly relates to an occupation for which the license is

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sought, the licensing authority shall consider:

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     (1) The state's legitimate interest in equal access to employment for individuals who have

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had past contact with the criminal justice system;

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     (2) The relationship of the crime or crimes to the purposes of regulating the occupation

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for which the license is sought;

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     (3) The relationship of the crime or crimes to the ability, capacity, and fitness required to

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perform the duties and discharge the responsibilities of the position of employment or occupation;

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and

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     (4) Any information produced by the applicant concerning their fitness and rehabilitation.

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     (d) A person who has been convicted of a crime or crimes which directly relate to the

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occupation for which a license is sought shall not be disqualified from the occupation if the

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person can show competent evidence of sufficient rehabilitation and present fitness to perform the

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duties of the occupation for which the license is sought. The licensing authority shall consider the

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time elapsed since the conviction when determining sufficient rehabilitation, as well as any

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evidence presented by the applicant regarding:

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     (1) Completion of a period of two (2) years after release from imprisonment, or two (2)

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years after the sentencing date for a sentence of probation not accompanied by incarceration,

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without a subsequent conviction or pending criminal charge;

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     (2) The nature and relevance of the crime or crimes for which the person was convicted;

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     (3) All circumstances relative to the crime or crimes, including mitigating circumstances

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or social conditions surrounding the commission of the crime or crimes;

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     (4) The age of the person at the time the crime or crimes were committed; and

 

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     (5) All other competent evidence of rehabilitation and present fitness of the person,

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including, but not limited to, letters of reference by persons who have been in contact with the

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applicant since the applicant's release from any state or federal correctional institution.

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     (e) The following criminal records shall not be used in connection with any application

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for a license, permit, certificate, or registration:

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     (1) Juvenile adjudications;

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     (2) Records of arrest not followed by a valid conviction;

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     (3) Convictions which have been expunged;

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     (4) Misdemeanor convictions for which no jail sentence can be imposed; or

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     (5) A conviction that is not related to the occupation for which a license is being sought,

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as determined by subsection (c) of this section.

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     (f) If a licensing authority intends to deny, suspend, or revoke a license, permit, or

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certificate solely or in part because of the individual's prior conviction of a crime, the licensing

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authority shall notify the individual in writing of the following prior to the final decision:

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     (1) The specific conviction(s) that form the basis for the potential denial, suspension, or

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revocation, and the rationale for deeming the conviction directly related to the occupation;

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     (2) A copy of the conviction history report, if any, upon which the licensing authority

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relies;

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     (3) A statement that the applicant may provide evidence of mitigation or rehabilitation, as

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described in subsection (d) of this section; and

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     (4) Instructions on how to respond to the potential denial, suspension, or revocation.

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     (g) After receiving the notice of potential denial, suspension, or revocation, the individual

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shall have thirty (30) business days to respond by challenging the accuracy of the conviction

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history and/or submitting evidence of mitigation or rehabilitation. The licensing authority shall

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make its final decision based on an individualized assessment of the information described in

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subsection (d) of this section.

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     (h) If a licensing authority denies, suspends, or revokes a license, permit, or certificate

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solely or in part because of the applicant's directly-related conviction, the licensing authority shall

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notify the applicant in writing of the following:

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     (1) The final decision, including the directly related conviction(s) that form the basis for

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denial, suspension, or revocation and the rationale for occupation relatedness;

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     (2) The process for appealing the decision in accordance with chapter 35 of title 42; and

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     (3) The earliest date the person may reapply for a license, permit, or certificate, which

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shall not be longer than two (2) years from the date of the final decision.

 

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     (i) Each state agency or licensing body shall issue a report to be made publicly available

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on the agency or licensing body website one year after the effective date of this section and by

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January 31 of each year thereafter, indicating the following:

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     (1) The number of initial applicants for every license, permit, or certificate under their

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jurisdiction within the preceding calendar year, including the number of applicants granted

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licenses, the number of applicants denied licenses for any reason, and, to the extent available, the

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demographic breakdown of the applicants, including race, ethnicity, and gender; and

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     (2) The number of applicants denied solely, or in part, because of a criminal conviction.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS - EQUAL OPPORTUNITY AND

AFFIRMATIVE ACTION

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     This act would regulate the procedures for the granting or denial, suspension or

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revocation of state licenses, permits, certificates or registrations required to practice, pursue, or

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engage in an occupation, trade, vocation, profession or business solely, or in part, because of a

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prior conviction of a crime or crimes unless directly related to the occupation for which the

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license is sought.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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