Pennsylvania Act 2002-177 — SOCIAL WORKERS, MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPISTS AND PROFESSIONAL COUNSELORS ACT - AMEND LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS EXEMPTION

Act text

SOCIAL WORKERS, MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPISTS AND PROFESSIONAL
         COUNSELORS ACT - AMEND LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS EXEMPTION
                 Act of Dec. 9, 2002, P.L. 1410, No. 177              Cl. 63
                             Session of 2002
                               No. 2002-177

     HB 2256

                                  AN ACT

     Amending the act of July 9, 1987 (P.L.220, No.39), entitled "An
        act licensing and regulating the practice of social work;
        providing penalties; and making an appropriation," further
        providing for exemption from licensure requirements.

        The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
     hereby enacts as follows:

        Section 1.  Section 9(b)(4)(iii) and (c)(4)(iii) of the act
     of July 9, 1987 (P.L.220, No.39), known as the Social Workers,
     Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors Act,
     amended February 13, 2002 (P.L.83, No.4), are amended to read:
      Section 9.  Exemption from licensure examination.
        * * *
        (b)  Marriage and family therapists.--The requirements of
     section 7(e)(4) shall not apply and a license shall be issued
     without examination to an applicant who meets all of the
     following requirements:
            * * *
            (4)  Has successfully met one of the following
        educational requirements:
                * * *
                (iii)  Has a master's degree of less than 48 semester
            hours or 72 quarter hours but not less than [36] 30
            semester hours or [54] 45 quarter hours in marriage and
            family therapy or in a field determined by the board by
            regulation to be closely related to the practice of
            marriage and family therapy from an accredited
            educational institution with graduate level coursework in
            marriage and family therapy acceptable to the board and
            has within the past ten years completed sufficient
            continuing education satisfactory to the board to equal
            the number of hours needed to achieve a total of 48
            semester hours or 72 quarter hours at a ratio of 15
            continuing education hours equaling one semester hour.
            * * *
        (c)  Professional counselors.--The requirements of section
     7(f)(4) shall not apply and a license shall be issued without
     examination to an applicant who meets all of the following
     requirements:
            * * *
            (4)  Has successfully met one of the following
        educational requirements:
                * * *
                (iii)  Has a master's degree of less than 48 semester
            hours or 72 quarter hours but not less than [36] 30
            semester hours or [54] 45 quarter hours in professional
            counseling or a field determined by the board by
            regulation to be closely related to the practice of
            professional counseling and has within the past ten years
            completed sufficient continuing education satisfactory to
            the board to equal the number of hours needed to achieve
            a total of 48 semester hours or 72 quarter hours at a
            ratio of 15 continuing education hours equaling one
            semester hour.
            * * *
        Section 2.  This act shall take effect immediately.

     APPROVED--The 9th day of December, A. D. 2002.

     MARK S. SCHWEIKER