3. a. Any entity designated in section 2 of P.L.1978, c.73 (C. 45:1-15), or any principal department of the Executive Branch of State government or any entity within any department or any other entity hereafter created to license or otherwise regulate a health care profession or occupation shall not issue an initial license, certification or registration, or renew, reinstate or reactivate a license, certification or registration unless the entity has first determined that no criminal history record or record with the National Practitioner Data Bank exists demonstrating that an applicant for a license, certification, or registration in a health care profession or occupation has been convicted of sexual assault, criminal sexual contact or lewdness pursuant to N.J.S.2C:14-2, N.J.S.2C:14-3, and N.J.S. 2C:14-4 that is of the first, second, third or fourth degree, endangering the welfare of a child pursuant to paragraph (1) of subsection a. of N.J.S.2C:24-4, attempting to lure or entice a child pursuant to section 1 of P.L.1993, c.291 (C. 2C:13-6), or equivalent offenses in another jurisdiction.

b. Nothing in this section shall preclude any entity designated in section 2 of P.L.1978, c.73 (C. 45:1-15), or any principal department of the Executive Branch of State government or any entity within any department or any other entity hereafter created to license or otherwise regulate a health care profession or occupation from considering criminal convictions for offenses other than those offenses included in subsection a. of this section, pursuant to section 8 of P.L.1978, c.73 (C. 45:1-21), or from considering other information provided by the National Practitioner Data Bank or any other source when reviewing the qualifications of an applicant for licensure, certification, or registration.

L. 2021, c.345, s.3.