(a) The applicant for an embalmer's license shall make application to the board. The application shall be in writing and verified on a form provided by and addressed to the board and shall be accompanied by the prescribed fee and by affidavits of at least two licensed embalmers to the effect that the applicant is of good moral character and has met all qualifications required for examination for license as prescribed by this chapter. The board may require an applicant for an embalmer's license to submit to a personal interview.

(b) Commencing on October 1, 2017, in addition to the requirements of subsection (a), an applicant for an embalmer license shall submit to the board a form, sworn to by the applicant, that contains the name, date of birth, and Social Security number of the applicant, and two complete sets of fingerprints, for completion of a criminal history background check. The board shall submit the fingerprints to the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency for a state criminal history record check. The fingerprints shall be forwarded by the agency to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a national criminal history record check. Costs associated with conducting a criminal history background check shall be paid by the applicant. The board shall keep information received pursuant to this subsection confidential, except that information received and relied upon in denying the issuance of an embalmer license may be disclosed if necessary to support the denial.