By: Romero, Jr., Clardy H.B. No. 2818

(Senate Sponsor - Taylor of Collin)

(In the Senate - Received from the House May 5, 2017; May 11, 2017, read first time and referred to Committee on Business & Commerce; May 21, 2017, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 8, Nays 0; May 21, 2017, sent to printer.) Click here to see the committee vote

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the practice of marriage and family therapy.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 502.002(6), Occupations Code, is amended to read as follows:

(6) "Marriage and family therapy" means providing professional therapy services to individuals, families, or married couples, alone or in groups, that involve applying family systems theories and techniques. The term includes the evaluation, diagnostic assessment, and remediation of mental, cognitive, affective, behavioral, or relational dysfunction, disease, or disorder in the context of marriage or family systems and may include the use of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders and the International Classification of Diseases. The practice of marriage and family therapy does not constitute the practice of medicine and does not include prescribing medication, treating a physical disease, or providing any service outside the scope of practice of a licensed marriage and family therapist or a licensed marriage and family therapist associate.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2017.

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