Like real estate agents in the Lone Star State, to get an architecture license or to renew an old one in Texas each applicant starting in 2014 will be required to submit a “complete and legible set of fingerprints” that will be used for a criminal history check.
No other state in the country collects architects’ fingerprints, and only one other, Massachusetts, runs background checks, according to Atlantic Cities. The fingerprints Texas collects for the licenses will also be available to the FBI.
“Sometime back, the (Texas) Legislature became convinced that if there was an individual licensed by the state who had access to someone’s kids, to their house, to their money, or to drugs or explosives, then steps needed to be taken to do a more thorough background check,” David Lancaster of the Texas Society of Architects told The Architect’s Newspaper.
Texas also requires fingerprints from a bevy of other licensed professionals including real estate agents, medical doctors, nurses, lawyers and horse-racing jockeys (and other professions monitored by the Texas Racing Commission).
Source: Atlantic Cities
