SRC-TJG, AMY C.S.S.B. 333 78(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research CenterC.S.S.B. 333
78R6379 YDB-DBy: Zaffirini
Health & Human Services
2/26/2003
Committee Report (Substituted)


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Currently, Texas law sets the educational requirement to become a Licensed
Chemical Dependency Counselor (LCDC) at a high school degree, or its
equivalent, and there is little structure governing the registration of
interns. Strengthened licensure requirements and rules governing interns
will allow Texas to benefit from substance abuse counselors who are highly
trained.  C.S.S.B. 333 increases the educational requirements for
licensure as an LCDC by requiring an associate degree and course work that
pertains to substance abuse. C.S.S.B. 333 also grants the Texas Commission
on Alcohol and Drug Abuse authority over registering interns.  The new
requirements only apply to new applicants. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

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

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 504.001, Occupations Code, by adding
Subdivision (3-a),to define "counselor intern."   

SECTION 2.  Amends the heading to Chapter 504D, Occupations Code, to read
as follows: 

SUBCHAPTER D.  LICENSE AND REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS

SECTION 3.  Amends Chapter 504D, Occupations Code, by adding Section
504.1515, as follows: 

Sec. 504.1515.  COUNSELOR INTERNS.  (a) Requires a person seeking a
license as a chemical dependancy counselor to register with the Texas
Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse (TCADA) as a counselor intern by
submitting, in a form acceptable to TCADA, certain items. 

(b) Authorizes TCADA to obtain criminal history record information
relating to a counselor intern or an applicant for registration as a
counselor intern from the Department of Public Safety and the Federal
Bureau of Investigation. 

SECTION 4.  Amends Section 504.152, Occupations Code, to increase the
licensing requirements from a high school diploma or its equivalent to an
associate or more advanced degree and to specify the completion of a
certain number of hours in certain subjects. Deletes the requirement for
270 classroom hours of approved curricula. 

SECTION 5.  Amends Section 504.153(a), Occupations Code, to include in the
criteria for exemption from the requirement to have a commission approved
courseload, a degree beyond a baccalaureate degree. 

SECTION 6.  Repealer: Section 504.057, Occupations Code (Criminal History
Information for  Counselor Interns.) 

SECTION 7.  (a)  Authorizes a chemical dependency counselor licensed
before this Act's effective date to renew that license without complying
with the changes made by this Act. 

(b) Provides that the changes in this Act only apply to an initial license
application, except as provided by Subsection (c) of this section.
Continues the effectiveness of previously existing law for license
applications made before this Act's effective date. 

(c) Makes application of this Act prospective.

SECTION 6. Effective date: September 1, 2004.
          
SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE CHANGES

Differs from original by adding new SECTIONS 1-3 and 6.

Differs from original by redesignating SECTION 2 as SECTION 4.  Requires a
certain amount of hours in certain courses to be eligible for a license.
Adds 300 hours of approved supervised field work praticum as a
requirement. 

Differs from original by redesignating SECTION 3 as SECTION 5.  Adds
Section 504.152(3)(C) to the requirements an applicant can be exempt from
under certain conditions. 

Differs from original by redesignating SECTION 5 as SECTION 7.  Makes the
application of this Act prospective relating to requirements for intern
registration and for submitting an application for registration as a
counselor intern as described by Section 504.1515, Occupations Code,
rather than Chapter 504, Occupations Code. 

Differs from original by redesignating SECTION 6 as SECTION 8.  Deletes
text relating to the effective date of previously existing SECTIONS 1 and
4.