(a)
To be certified to the Supreme Court for admission, and a license to practice law, a person who has been admitted to practice law in a sister state, United States jurisdiction, possession, territory, or dependency the United States may hereafter acquire shall:
(1)
Be of the age of at least 18 years.
(2)
Be of good moral character.
(3)
Have passed the general bar examination given by the examining committee. However, if that person has been an active member in good standing of the bar of the admitting sister state or United States jurisdiction, possession, or territory for at least four years immediately preceding the first day of the examination applied for, he or she may elect to take the Attorneys’ Examination rather than the general bar examination. Attorneys admitted less than four years and attorneys admitted four years or more in another jurisdiction but who have not been active members in good standing of their admitting jurisdiction for at least four years immediately preceding the first day of the examination applied for must take the general bar examination administered to general applicants not admitted as attorneys in other jurisdictions.
(4)
Have passed an examination in professional responsibility or legal ethics as the examining committee may prescribe.
(b)
To be certified to the Supreme Court for admission, and a license to practice law, a person who has been admitted to practice law in a jurisdiction other than in a sister state, United States jurisdiction, possession, or territory shall:
(1)
Be of the age of at least 18 years.
(2)
Be of good moral character.
(3)
Have passed the general bar examination given by the examining committee.
(4)
Have passed an examination in professional responsibility or legal ethics as the examining committee may prescribe.
(c)
The amendments to this section made at the 1997–98 Regular Session of the Legislature shall be applicable on and after January 1, 1997, and do not constitute a change in, but are declaratory of, existing law.