First Regular Session
Seventy-fourth General Assembly
STATE OF COLORADO
INTRODUCED
LLS NO. 23-0176.01 Yelana Love x2295
HOUSE BILL 23-1070
House Committees Senate Committees
Health & Insurance
A BILL FOR AN ACT
C
ONCERNING THE PRACTICE HOURS RE QUIRED TO OBTAIN LICENSURE101
AS A MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL .102
Bill Summary
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does
not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill
passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that
applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at
http://leg.colorado.gov
.)
Effective January 1, 2024, the bill:
! Reduces the individual and marriage and family therapy
practice requirement for licensure as a marriage and family
therapist from at least 2 years of post-master's or one year
of postdoctoral practice to at least one year of post-master's
or one year of postdoctoral practice; and
HOUSE SPONSORSHIP
Ricks,
SENATE SPONSORSHIP
Buckner,
Shading denotes HOUSE amendment. Double underlining denotes SENATE amendment.
Capital letters or bold & italic numbers indicate new material to be added to existing law.
Dashes through the words or numbers indicate deletions from existing law. ! Reduces the post-degree clinical supervised practice period
required for an applicant for licensure as a licensed
professional counselor from at least 2 years of post-master's
practice or one year of postdoctoral supervised clinical
practice to at least one year of post-master's or
post-doctoral supervised clinical practice.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:1
SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 12-245-504, amend2
(1)(d) as follows:3
12-245-504. Qualifications - examination - licensure and4
registration. (1) The board shall issue a license as a marriage and family5
therapist to each applicant who files an application in a form and manner6
required by the board, submits the fee required by the board pursuant to7
section 12-245-205, and furnishes evidence satisfactory to the board that8
the applicant:9
(d) Subsequent to completing the applicant's master's or doctoral10
degree, has had at least two years
ONE YEAR of post-master's or one year11
of postdoctoral practice in individual and marriage and family therapy,12
including at least one thousand five hundred hours of face-to-face direct13
client contact as determined by the board for the purpose of assessment14
and intervention under clinical supervision that may be in person or15
telesupervision; and16
SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 12-245-604, amend17
(1)(d)(I) as follows:18
12-245-604. Licensure - examination - licensed professional19
counselors. (1) The board shall issue a license as a licensed professional20
counselor to each applicant who files an application in a form and manner21
required by the board, submits the fee required by the board pursuant to22
HB23-1070-2- section 12-245-205, and furnishes evidence satisfactory to the board that1
the applicant:2
(d) (I) Has at least two years ONE YEAR of post-master's practice3
or one year of postdoctoral practice in licensed professional counseling4
under clinical supervision; and OR5
SECTION 3. Act subject to petition - effective date. This act6
takes effect January 1, 2024; except that, if a referendum petition is filed7
pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V of the state constitution against this8
act or an item, section, or part of this act within the ninety-day period9
after final adjournment of the general assembly, then the act, item,10
section, or part will not take effect unless approved by the people at the11
general election to be held in November 2024 and, in such case, will take12
effect on the date of the official declaration of the vote thereon by the13
governor.14
HB23-1070
-3-