Fresh Start Act of 2019; revise to prohibit licensing authorities from requiring certain information.

HB 270 revises Mississippi's "Fresh Start Act" to prohibit licensing authorities (e.g., for nursing, contracting, or cosmetology) from requiring applicants to disclose certain criminal records. Specifically, it bans inquiries about arrests without convictions, sealed/expunged cases, nonviolent misdemeanors, or convictions older than three years (except for serious offenses like sexual assault, fraud, or violent crimes). The bill also requires authorities to allow applicants to submit evidence of rehabilitation when petitioning for license eligibility and to make application forms available online. Licensing decisions must now follow clear standards, considering the crime's nature, time passed, relevance to the job, and rehabilitation efforts.