Emergency Executive Order 20-23 - Deferrals of Criminal Background Check Fingerprinting & Continuing Education

MINNEAPOLIS, MN (04/06/2020) (readMedia)-- On March 27, 2020, Governor Walz signed Emergency Executive Order 20-23 (EO 20-23) and, on March 28, 2020, Governor Walz signed into law H.F. 4531. Both EO 20-23 and the new law authorize a Health-Related Licensing Board (HLB) to allow an applicant for licensure to defer fingerprinting for the purpose of completion of a criminal background check (CBC) during the peacetime emergency declared by Emergency Executive Order 20-01 (EO 20-01), signed by Governor Walz on March 13, 2020. It is important to note that fingerprinting is deferred during the peacetime emergency and NOT waived.

The Minnesota Criminal Background Check Program (CBCP) will process CBCs as follows:

1. All applicants who have not submitted fingerprints will be sent a CBC packet by the CBCP providing the consent and demographic information forms necessary to complete a CBC during the peacetime emergency.

2. The CBCP will request a state and federal background check based on Name and Date of Birth ONLY for applicants who are unable to submit fingerprints during the peacetime emergency.

3. Fingerprints that have been submitted to the CBCP will be transmitted through the standard finger-print based process.

4. When the peacetime emergency is terminated, the CBCP will send notice to all individuals whose fingerprints were deferred and provide instructions and the timeline required for submitting fingerprints.

5. The CBCP will provide the HLBs with a list of all applicants/licensees for whom a CBC was processed based on Name and Date of Birth Only.

6. Failure to submit fingerprints, as instructed following termination of the peacetime emergency, may result in an additional CBC processing fee and may result in disciplinary action by the HLB.

7. CBC processing fees will remain the same during the peacetime emergency. As noted, an additional fee may be collected if the applicant fails to submit fingerprints, as instructed, following termination of the peacetime emergency.

8. Deferral of fingerprints is NOT authorized during the peacetime emergency for the purpose of participation in an interstate licensure compact.

EO 20-23 further authorized HLBs to defer continuing education reporting requirements until the first full reporting cycle following termination of the peacetime emergency. It is important to note that continuing education requirements are deferred and NOT waived.

If you have questions, please visit the Board of Medical Practice website at: https://mn.gov/boards/medical-practice/ or the CBCP website at: https://mn.gov/boards/cbc