1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the continuing education requirements for a licensed
1-3 chemical dependency counselor.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 15, Chapter 635, Acts of the 72nd
1-6 Legislature, Regular Session, 1991 (Article 4512o, Vernon's Texas
1-7 Civil Statutes), is amended to read as follows:
1-8 Sec. 15. CONTINUING EDUCATION. (a) The commission shall
1-9 recognize, prepare, or administer continuing education programs for
1-10 licensed chemical dependency counselors. Participation in the
1-11 programs is mandatory for licensure.
1-12 (b) Except as provided by Subsection (c) of this section, a
1-13 [A] person licensed under this Act must complete at least 60 hours
1-14 of continuing education in each two-year period in which the person
1-15 holds a license as a requirement for the renewal of the license.
1-16 (c) A person licensed under this Act to whom this subsection
1-17 applies must complete at least 24 hours of continuing education in
1-18 each two-year period in which the person holds a license as a
1-19 requirement for the renewal of the license. This subsection
1-20 applies only to a license holder who is also licensed as:
1-21 (1) a licensed master social worker, as defined by
1-22 Section 50.001, Human Resources Code;
1-23 (2) a licensed marriage and family therapist, as
1-24 defined by Section 2, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Act
2-1 (Article 4512c-1, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes);
2-2 (3) a licensed professional counselor, as defined by
2-3 Section 2, Licensed Professional Counselor Act (Article 4512g,
2-4 Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes);
2-5 (4) a physician who is practicing medicine, as defined
2-6 by Section 1.03, Medical Practice Act (Article 4495b, Vernon's
2-7 Texas Civil Statutes); or
2-8 (5) a psychologist, as defined by Section 2,
2-9 Psychologists' Licensing Act (Article 4512c, Vernon's Texas Civil
2-10 Statutes).
2-11 (d) The commission shall provide by rule for the
2-12 administration of the continuing education requirements for license
2-13 renewal under this Act. Except for the number of hours required,
2-14 the commission may not adopt a rule that distinguishes between the
2-15 continuing education requirements required for a license holder
2-16 subject to Subsection (b) of this section and a license holder
2-17 subject to Subsection (c) of this section.
2-18 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999, and
2-19 applies only to a license to practice as a chemical dependency
2-20 counselor that is renewed on or after that date.
2-21 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
2-22 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-23 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-24 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-25 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
_______________________________ _______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 1145 was passed by the House on March
25, 1999, by a non-record vote.
_______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 1145 was passed by the Senate on May
13, 1999, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 0.
_______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: _____________________
Date
_____________________
Governor