AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Under current law, applicants for licensure as a professional counselor can take the licensing examination two times and then may not reapply for another examination for two years. Texas contracts with the National Board for Counselor Certification (NBCC) to administer the licensing examination. NBCC allows all other candidates to take the test three times before they must sit out and take additional coursework. NBCC advises that aligning Texas's standards will result in consistency with other states and NBCC and, as a result, increase administrative efficiency.
S.B. 913 changes Section 503.307(b) of the Occupations Code so as to allow an applicant to attempt to pass the licensing examination three times. Under the bill, should an applicant fail three successive examinations, they may not reapply before the third anniversary of the date of the last failed examination. The bill retains current law which states that applicants may alternatively complete nine graduate semester hours in the applicant's weakest portion of the examination.
As proposed, S.B. 913 amends current law relating to the reexamination of an applicant for a professional counselor license.
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 503.307(b), Occupations Code, as follows:
(b) Prohibits an applicant for a professional counselors license who has failed three successive examinations, rather than an applicant who has failed two successive examinations, from reapplying for another examination before:
(1) the third anniversary, rather than the second anniversary, of the date of the last examination taken by the applicant; or
(2) the date the applicant has satisfactorily completed nine graduate semester hours in the applicant's weakest portion of the examination.
SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2013.