| 1 | 1 | | |
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| 2 | 2 | | Introduced Version |
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| 3 | 3 | | SENATE BILL No. 72 |
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| 4 | 4 | | _____ |
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| 5 | 5 | | DIGEST OF INTRODUCED BILL |
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| 6 | 6 | | Citations Affected: IC 25-23.6-2-8. |
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| 7 | 7 | | Synopsis: Therapist immunity from professional discipline. Provides |
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| 8 | 8 | | that the behavioral health and human services licensing board may not |
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| 9 | 9 | | impose disciplinary sanctions against a practitioner if the basis of the |
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| 10 | 10 | | licensing complaint is retaliatory against the practitioner for testifying |
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| 11 | 11 | | in a child custody proceeding, a child in need of services proceeding, |
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| 12 | 12 | | or a termination of parent-child relationship proceeding. |
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| 13 | 13 | | Effective: July 1, 2025. |
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| 14 | 14 | | Dernulc |
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| 15 | 15 | | January 8, 2025, read first time and referred to Committee on Health and Provider |
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| 16 | 16 | | Services. |
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| 17 | 17 | | 2025 IN 72—LS 6376/DI 148 Introduced |
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| 18 | 18 | | First Regular Session of the 124th General Assembly (2025) |
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| 19 | 19 | | PRINTING CODE. Amendments: Whenever an existing statute (or a section of the Indiana |
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| 20 | 20 | | Constitution) is being amended, the text of the existing provision will appear in this style type, |
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| 21 | 21 | | additions will appear in this style type, and deletions will appear in this style type. |
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| 22 | 22 | | Additions: Whenever a new statutory provision is being enacted (or a new constitutional |
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| 23 | 23 | | provision adopted), the text of the new provision will appear in this style type. Also, the |
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| 24 | 24 | | word NEW will appear in that style type in the introductory clause of each SECTION that adds |
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| 25 | 25 | | a new provision to the Indiana Code or the Indiana Constitution. |
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| 26 | 26 | | Conflict reconciliation: Text in a statute in this style type or this style type reconciles conflicts |
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| 27 | 27 | | between statutes enacted by the 2024 Regular Session of the General Assembly. |
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| 28 | 28 | | SENATE BILL No. 72 |
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| 29 | 29 | | A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning |
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| 30 | 30 | | professions and occupations. |
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| 31 | 31 | | Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana: |
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| 32 | 32 | | 1 SECTION 1. IC 25-23.6-2-8, AS AMENDED BY P.L.98-2023, |
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| 33 | 33 | | 2 SECTION 1, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE |
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| 34 | 34 | | 3 JULY 1, 2025]: Sec. 8. (a) The board shall adopt rules under IC 4-22-2 |
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| 35 | 35 | | 4 establishing standards for the following: |
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| 36 | 36 | | 5 (1) The competent practice of marriage and family therapy, |
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| 37 | 37 | | 6 bachelor's degree social work, social work, clinical social work, |
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| 38 | 38 | | 7 mental health counseling, addiction counseling, and clinical |
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| 39 | 39 | | 8 addiction counseling. |
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| 40 | 40 | | 9 (2) The renewal of licenses issued under this article. |
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| 41 | 41 | | 10 (3) Standards for the administration of this article. |
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| 42 | 42 | | 11 (4) Continuing education requirements for an individual seeking |
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| 43 | 43 | | 12 renewal of licensure as a bachelor's degree social worker, social |
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| 44 | 44 | | 13 worker, clinical social worker, or marriage and family therapist. |
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| 45 | 45 | | 14 (5) The retention of patient records and reports by a counselor. |
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| 46 | 46 | | 15 (6) The approval of continuing education providers, programs, |
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| 47 | 47 | | 16 courses, fees, and proof of course completion. |
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| 48 | 48 | | 17 (b) The board shall establish fees under IC 25-1-8-2. |
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| 49 | 49 | | 2025 IN 72—LS 6376/DI 148 2 |
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| 50 | 50 | | 1 (c) The board shall do the following: |
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| 51 | 51 | | 2 (1) Consider the qualifications of individuals who apply for a |
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| 52 | 52 | | 3 license under this article. |
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| 53 | 53 | | 4 (2) Provide for examinations required under this article. |
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| 54 | 54 | | 5 (3) Subject to IC 25-1-8-6, renew licenses under this article. |
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| 55 | 55 | | 6 (4) Conduct proceedings under IC 25-1-9. |
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| 56 | 56 | | 7 (5) Administer the professional counselors licensure compact |
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| 57 | 57 | | 8 under IC 25-42.5, including appointing members to the |
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| 58 | 58 | | 9 counseling compact commission and adopting any rules necessary |
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| 59 | 59 | | 10 to administer the compact. |
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| 60 | 60 | | 11 (d) The board may not impose any disciplinary sanctions in a |
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| 61 | 61 | | 12 proceeding conducted under subsection (c)(4) if the basis of the |
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| 62 | 62 | | 13 complaint against the practitioner is a retaliatory claim for |
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| 63 | 63 | | 14 testifying in a: |
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| 64 | 64 | | 15 (1) child custody proceeding under IC 31-17; |
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| 65 | 65 | | 16 (2) child in need of services proceeding under IC 31-34; or |
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| 66 | 66 | | 17 (3) termination of parent-child relationship proceeding under |
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| 67 | 67 | | 18 IC 31-35. |
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| 68 | 68 | | 2025 IN 72—LS 6376/DI 148 |
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