SRC-DBM H.B. 923 76(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   H.B. 923
76R2640  MXM-DBy: Coleman (Moncrief)
Health Services
5/9/1999
Engrossed


DIGEST 

The Licensed Professional Counselor Act was passed by the 75th Legislature
in response to the increasing demand to establish equivalence between
mental health disciplines.  This Act increased the number of required
supervised hours for licensure of a professional counselor.  Currently, the
Act contains conflicting language regarding reciprocity for out-of-state
licensed counselors moving to Texas. H.B. 923 would regulate licensed
professional counselors. 

PURPOSE

As proposed, H.B. 923 regulates licensed professional counselors.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 5(f), Article 4512g, V.T.C.S. (Licensed
Professional Counselor Act), to require the executive director, rather than
executive secretary, to notify the governor and the attorney general that a
potential ground for removal exists, it the executive director, rather than
executive secretary, has knowledge that a potential ground for removal
exists. 

SECTION 2.  Amends Section 8(a), Article 4512g, V.T.C.S., to make
conforming changes.   

SECTION 3.  Amends Section 10(a), Article 4512g, V.T.C.S., to provide that
a person is a qualified applicant if the person has successfully completed
a graduate degree at a regionally accredited institution of higher
education and a planned graduate program of 48 graduate semester hours; and
has completed 36 months or 3,000 hours of supervised experience working in
a counseling setting that meets the requirements established by the Texas
State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors (board) after the
completion of the 48 graduate semester hour program.  Deletes text
providing that a person is a qualified applicant if the person has
successfully completed a graduate degree at a regionally accredited
institution of higher education and a planned graduate program of 48
graduate semester hours or the substantial equivalent; and has completed 36
months or 3,000 hours of supervised experience working in a counseling
setting that meets the requirements established by the board after the
completion of the 48 graduate semester hour or equivalent graduate program. 

SECTION 4.  Amends Section 14(i), Article 4512g, V.T.C.S., to delete text
requiring the proration of license fees. 

SECTION 5.  Amends Section 16C(c), Article 4512g, V.T.C.S., to make a
conforming change. 

SECTION 6.  Amends Section 18(c), Article 4512g, V.T.C.S., to delete text
requiring the board to issue a license to the holder of a provisional
license if the provisional licensee passes the examination required by
Section 12 of this Act.  Makes conforming changes. 

SECTION 7.  (a)  Effective date: September 1, 1999.

 (b)  Makes application of this Act prospective.

(c)  Provides that the amendment of Section 18(c), Article 4512g, V.T.C.S.
(Licensed  Professional Counselor Act), by this Act is intended to clarify
the law in effect before the effective date of this Act. 

SECTION 8.Emergency clause.