Louisiana 2015 2015 Regular Session

Louisiana Senate Bill SB113 Engrossed / Bill

                    SLS 15RS-74	REENGROSSED
2015 Regular Session
SENATE BILL NO. 113
BY SENATOR GALLOT 
Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
PSYCHOLOGISTS.  Provides relative to membership of the State Board of Examiners of
Psychologists, qualifications of certain licensees, and maintenance of board documents and
records. (8/1/15)
1	AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 37:2353(A)(3), (4), (5) and (6), 2354(E), 2356(G), and 2365(D)
3 and to enact R.S. 37:2353(A)(7), relative to the State Board of Examiners of
4 Psychologists; to provide for eligibility of board members; to provide relative to
5 qualification of certain licensees; to provide for maintenance of records; to provide
6 for certain terms, conditions, procedures, requirements, and effects; and to provide
7 for related matters.
8 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
9 Section 1.  R.S. 37:2353(A)(3), (4), (5) and (6), 2354(E), 2356(G), and 2365(D) are
10 hereby amended and reenacted and R.S. 37:2353(A)(7) is hereby enacted to read as follows:
11 §2353. State board of examiners; organization; duties; meetings; fees
12	A.(1) *          *          *
13	(3) Each board member shall have rendered service, teaching, training, or
14 research in psychology for at least five years, shall have held a doctoral degree in
15 psychology from a school or college as defined in this Chapter for a period of five
16 years, and shall be licensed under this Chapter for a minimum of five years.
17	(4) Notwithstanding the provisions of this Subsection, no person shall be
Page 1 of 4
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 113
SLS 15RS-74	REENGROSSED
1 eligible to serve as a board member if he is employed by the board, has a
2 contract with the board for services, or within the preceding twelve months of
3 his nomination was employed by the board or had a contract with the board for
4 services.
5	(5) Board members shall serve without compensation but shall receive
6 seventy-five dollars per diem allowance plus the mileage rate provided state
7 employees to cover expenses incurred while engaged in the discharge of their duties.
8	(5)(6) Membership on the board of a public employee or official shall not
9 constitute dual office holding within the meaning of R.S. 42:61 et seq.
10	(6)(7) Each appointment by the governor shall be submitted to the Senate for
11 confirmation.
12	*          *          *
13 §2354. Fees
14	*          *          *
15	E.(1) The status of psychologist emeritus is hereby created. To qualify for
16 status as psychologist emeritus, the applicant must annually make A licensed
17 psychologist who is sixty-five years of age or older may be eligible for a
18 reduction in the annual renewal fee if he makes a satisfactory showing to the
19 board, in a manner to be determined by the board, of all of the following:
20	(a) that the applicant is He is sixty-five years of age or older.
21	(b) , has He has held continuous licensure as a psychologist in the state for
22 at least twenty years.
23	(c) , and at At the time of application, he is retired from the full-time practice
24 of psychology or any other full-time employment.
25	(2) The annual renewal fee for those qualifying as psychologist emeritus a
26 licensed psychologist who is eligible for a fee reduction pursuant to this
27 Subsection shall be one-half of the amount of the current licensure renewal fee.
28	*          *          *
29 §2356. Licensure of psychologists by written and oral examination
Page 2 of 4
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 113
SLS 15RS-74	REENGROSSED
1	*          *          *
2	G. The board shall keep maintain as a record, in electronic or other
3 format, all of the following items:
4	(1) the The written examination papers,.
5	(2) and an An accurate transcript of the questions and answers relating to the
6 oral examinations,.
7	(3) and the The grade assigned to each answer thereof, as part of its records
8 for at least two years subsequent to the date of examination.
9	*          *          *
10 §2365. Scope of Chapter
11	*          *          *
12	D. Any nonresident duly licensed or certified for independent practice as a
13 psychologist in the state of his residence, and which state will permit residents of this
14 state a like and similar privilege as provided herein in this Subsection, may, if
15 associated with a psychologist who is a resident of the state of Louisiana and
16 licensed under this Chapter an application is submitted to the board with
17 payment of the appropriate fee, practice as a psychologist for a period not to
18 exceed maximum of thirty days in any throughout a calendar year to the same
19 extent and manner as if licensed in this state.
20	*          *          *
The original instrument was prepared by Michelle D. Ridge. The following
digest, which does not constitute a part of the legislative instrument, was
prepared by Mary Dozier O'Brien.
DIGEST
SB 113 Reengrossed 2015 Regular Session	Gallot
Present law provides for membership of the State Board of Examiners of Psychologists
("board").
Present law provides that each board member shall have rendered service, teaching, training,
or research in psychology for at least five years, shall have held a doctoral degree in
psychology from a school or college for a period of five years, and shall be licensed as a
psychologist in Louisiana.
Proposed law provides each board member shall have rendered service, teaching, training,
or research in psychology for at least five years, shall have held a doctoral degree in
Page 3 of 4
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 113
SLS 15RS-74	REENGROSSED
psychology from a school or college for a period of five years, and shall be licensed as a
psychologist in Louisiana for a minimum of five years.
Proposed law provides that no person shall be eligible to serve as a board member if he is
employed by the board, has a contract with the board for services, or within the preceding
12 months of his nomination, was employed by the board or had a contract with the board
for services.
Present law classifies certain licensees as psychologist emeritus if certain qualifications are
met and provides that a psychologist emeritus is eligible for a reduction in the annual
renewal fee.
Proposed law removes the psychologist emeritus status classification and provides that a
licensed psychologist who is 65 years of age or older may be eligible for a reduction in the
annual renewal fee if he meets certain qualifications.
Present law provides that the board must maintain certain records for a period of two years.
Proposed law removes the two year retention period and provides that the board must
maintain certain records in electronic or other format.
Present law provides that any nonresident duly licensed or certified for independent practice
as a psychologist in the state of his residence, and which state will permit residents of this
state a like and similar privilege as provided herein, may, if associated with a psychologist
who is a resident of the state of Louisiana and licensed under the present law, practice as a
psychologist for a period not to exceed 30 days in any calendar year to the same extent and
manner as if licensed in this state.
Proposed law provides that any nonresident duly licensed or certified for independent
practice as a psychologist in the state of his residence, and which state will permit residents
of this state a like and similar privilege as provided herein, may, if an application is
submitted to the board with payment of the appropriate fee, practice as a psychologist for
a maximum of 30 days throughout a calendar year to the same extent and manner as if
licensed in this state
Effective August 1, 2015.
(Amends R.S. 37:2353(A)(3), (4), (5) and (6), 2354(E), 2356(G), and 2365(D); adds R.S.
37:2353(A)(7)) 
Summary of Amendments Adopted by Senate
Committee Amendments Proposed by Senate Committee on Commerce, Consumer
Protection, and International Affairs to the original bill
1. Deletes provisions relative to appointment of board members.
Senate Floor Amendments to engrossed bill
1. Technical amendments.
2. Deletes provision requiring previous experience to be in Louisiana.
Page 4 of 4
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.