| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to the licensing of certain out-of-state applicants as a |
|
|
psychologist, marriage and family therapist, professional |
|
|
counselor, or social worker. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Section 501.2525(c), Occupations Code, is |
|
|
amended to read as follows: |
|
|
(c) Subsection (a)(2)(A) does not apply to an applicant who: |
|
|
(1) is licensed in good standing in another state to |
|
|
independently practice psychology; and |
|
|
(2) has independently practiced psychology in that |
|
|
state for at least the two [five] years preceding the date the |
|
|
application is submitted. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Section 501.256(c), Occupations Code, is amended |
|
|
to read as follows: |
|
|
(c) The executive council may waive the discipline and |
|
|
professional segment of the examination requirement for an |
|
|
applicant who: |
|
|
(1) is a specialist of the American Board of |
|
|
Professional Psychology; [or] |
|
|
(2) in the executive council's judgment, has |
|
|
demonstrated competence in the areas covered by the examination; or |
|
|
(3) meets the criteria provided by Section |
|
|
501.2525(c). |
|
|
SECTION 3. Section 502.252, Occupations Code, is amended by |
|
|
adding Subsection (d) to read as follows: |
|
|
(d) Subsections (c)(2) and (c)(3) do not apply to an |
|
|
applicant who: |
|
|
(1) is licensed in good standing in another state to |
|
|
independently practice as a licensed marriage and family therapist; |
|
|
and |
|
|
(2) has independently practiced as a licensed marriage |
|
|
and family therapist in that state for at least the two years |
|
|
preceding the date the application is submitted. |
|
|
SECTION 4. Section 502.2545(a), Occupations Code, is |
|
|
amended to read as follows: |
|
|
(a) The executive council may waive the requirement that an |
|
|
applicant for a license as a licensed marriage and family therapist |
|
|
pass the examination required by Section 502.254 if the applicant: |
|
|
(1) is a provisional license holder under Section |
|
|
502.259 and the executive council determines that the applicant |
|
|
possesses sufficient education and professional experience to |
|
|
receive a license without further examination; [or] |
|
|
(2) holds a license issued by another licensing agency |
|
|
in a profession related to the practice of marriage and family |
|
|
therapy and the executive council determines that the applicant |
|
|
possesses sufficient education and professional experience to |
|
|
receive a license without satisfying the examination requirements |
|
|
of this chapter; or |
|
|
(3) meets the criteria provided by Section 502.252(d). |
|
|
SECTION 5. Section 503.302, Occupations Code, is amended by |
|
|
adding Subsections (a-1) and (a-2) to read as follows: |
|
|
(a-1) Subsection (a)(4) does not apply to an applicant who: |
|
|
(1) is licensed in good standing in another state to |
|
|
independently practice as a professional counselor or as an art |
|
|
therapist; and |
|
|
(2) has independently practiced as a professional |
|
|
counselor or an art therapist in that state for at least the two |
|
|
years preceding the date the application is submitted. |
|
|
(a-2) The executive council may waive the requirement that |
|
|
an applicant pass the license examination required by Subsection |
|
|
(a)(5) if the applicant meets the criteria provided by Subsection |
|
|
(a-1). The applicant must pass the jurisprudence examination. |
|
|
SECTION 6. Section 505.3575, Occupations Code, is amended |
|
|
by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (c) to read as |
|
|
follows: |
|
|
(a) Notwithstanding any other licensing requirement of this |
|
|
subchapter: |
|
|
(1) the executive council may not require an applicant |
|
|
who is licensed in good standing in another state to pass a |
|
|
licensing examination conducted by the executive council under |
|
|
Section 505.354 if an applicant with substantially equivalent |
|
|
experience who resides in this state would not be required to take |
|
|
the licensing examination; [and] |
|
|
(2) the executive council may waive the requirement |
|
|
that an applicant not otherwise described by Subdivision (1) pass a |
|
|
licensing examination conducted by the executive council under |
|
|
Section 505.354 if the applicant: |
|
|
(A) is licensed in good standing in another state |
|
|
to independently practice as a social worker; and |
|
|
(B) has independently practiced as a licensed |
|
|
social worker in that state for at least the two years preceding the |
|
|
date the application is submitted; and |
|
|
(3) the executive council may issue a license to an |
|
|
applicant who is currently licensed in another state to |
|
|
independently practice social work if: |
|
|
(A) after an assessment, the executive council |
|
|
determines that the applicant: |
|
|
(i) demonstrates sufficient experience and |
|
|
competence, subject to Subsection (c); |
|
|
(ii) has passed the jurisprudence |
|
|
examination conducted by the executive council under Section |
|
|
505.3545; and |
|
|
(iii) at the time of the application, is in |
|
|
good standing with the regulatory agency of the state in which the |
|
|
applicant is licensed; and |
|
|
(B) the applicant presents to the executive |
|
|
council credentials that the applicant obtained from a national |
|
|
accreditation organization and the executive council determines |
|
|
that the requirements to obtain the credentials are sufficient to |
|
|
minimize any risk to public safety. |
|
|
(c) An applicant satisfies the requirements of Subsection |
|
|
(a)(3)(A)(i) if the applicant: |
|
|
(1) is licensed in good standing in another state to |
|
|
independently practice as a social worker; and |
|
|
(2) has independently practiced as a licensed social |
|
|
worker in that state for at least the two years preceding the date |
|
|
the application is submitted. |
|
|
SECTION 7. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to |
|
|
an application for a license submitted on or after the effective |
|
|
date of this Act. An application for a license submitted before the |
|
|
effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the |
|
|
date the application was submitted, and that law is continued in |
|
|
effect for that purpose. |
|
|
SECTION 8. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |