43-1-3.1. Review of applications by the division director for the issuance, renewal, or reinstatement of a professional license; issuance, renewal, or reinstatement of a professional license by the division director on behalf of a professional licensing board; confirming the satisfaction of education requirements.

As used in this Code section, the term “license” means any license, certificate, permit, registration, or other document that is issued by a professional licensing board and that is required under this title for a person to engage in the practice of a profession, business, or trade in this state. Such term shall include, without limitation, any expedited license, temporary license, special license, or license by endorsement that is issued by a professional licensing board under this title.#

1. (1)

   Notwithstanding any provision of this title to the contrary, the division director shall be authorized to review each application for the issuance, renewal, or reinstatement of a license and, upon determining that an application furnishes evidence that the applicant has achieved or satisfied all of the qualifications, attainments, and other conditions required for the issuance, renewal, or reinstatement of a particular license under the provisions of this title or under the rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to this title, shall be authorized, on behalf of the applicable professional licensing board, to issue the license to or renew or reinstate the license of the applicant.#

2. (2)

   Whenever the division director reviews any application for the issuance, renewal, or reinstatement of a license pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection and cannot determine, based on such application, that the applicant has achieved or satisfied all of the qualifications, attainments, and other conditions required for the issuance, renewal, or reinstatement of the license under the provisions of this title or under the rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to this title, the division director shall not take any action on the application and shall forward the application to the applicable professional licensing board who shall then review, consider, and either grant or deny the application in a timely manner.#

Nothing in this Code section shall prevent a professional licensing board from reviewing applications for the issuance, renewal, or reinstatement of a license that is issued by such professional licensing board and granting or denying such applications. Any such application which a professional licensing board has granted or denied shall not be reviewed or considered by the division director and, if the division director is in the process of reviewing or considering such application at the time the professional licensing board grants or denies such application, the division director shall cease his or her review of such application and shall not take any further action on the application.#

When it is necessary for the division director, in connection with his or her review of an application for the issuance, renewal, or reinstatement of a license under subsection (b) of this Code section, to determine whether the applicant has satisfied any postsecondary education requirements required for the issuance, renewal, or reinstatement of such license, the division director shall not be required to obtain official transcripts evidencing the satisfaction of such education requirements from the relevant postsecondary education institution, provided that the division director is able to obtain confirmation, through other reliable means, from the postsecondary education institution that such education requirements have been satisfied. Each postsecondary education institution in this state is encouraged to work with the division director to develop such alternative method of confirming the satisfaction of education requirements as provided in this title.#