Already one of only two states to require criminal background checks of registered architects, the Texas legislature has gone one step further by requiring them to be fingerprinted. It's the first state in the country to embrace the practice.
"House bill 1717 passed both houses of the Texas legislature and became effective on September 1, making several changes to the way the Texas Board of Architectural Examiners (TBAE) operates," reports Aaron Seward. "Sections two and five establish a new requirement for fingerprint-based criminal history checks of TBAE registrants. All active status registration renewals and or new applications for registration will require fingerprinting as of January 1, 2014."
"The job of fingerprinting architects, as well as other licensed professions in the state who fall under the law—engineers, physicians, realtors, stock brokers, attorneys, and more—has been contracted to Morpho Trust USA," notes Seward.
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The companies' agreement with Governor Charlie Baker's administration requires a state-run check in addition to the usual check through an independent contractor. Fingerprinting, however, will not be required.
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