Texas 2015 - 84th Regular

Texas House Bill HB3999 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	84R9035 EES-F
2	2	By: Naishtat H.B. No. 3999
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to the exemption of certain persons from licensure as a
8	8	professional counselor or social worker.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Section 503.056, Occupations Code, is amended to
11	11	read as follows:
12	12	Sec. 503.056. COUNSELING FOR NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION OR
13	13	CHARITY. This chapter does not apply to an activity, service,
14	14	title, or description of a person who [is employed as a professional
15	15	by or who] volunteers [in the practice of counseling] for a public
16	16	or private nonprofit organization or charity that provides
17	17	counseling services if the person:
18	18	(1) is accountable to a licensed mental health
19	19	professional employed by the [person's sponsoring] organization or
20	20	charity; and
21	21	(2) does not use the title or hold the person out to be
22	22	a licensed counselor.
23	23	SECTION 2. Section 505.003(a), Occupations Code, is amended
24	24	to read as follows:
25	25	(a) This chapter does not apply to:
26	26	(1) an activity conducted or a service performed by a
27	27	person who is licensed, certified, or registered in a profession
28	28	other than social work, including a physician, attorney, registered
29	29	nurse, licensed vocational nurse, psychologist, occupational
30	30	therapist, licensed marriage and family therapist, licensed
31	31	chemical dependency counselor, or licensed professional counselor,
32	32	if:
33	33	(A) the activity or service is conducted or
34	34	performed within the scope of the person's license, certificate, or
35	35	registration;
36	36	(B) the person does not use a title listed in
37	37	Section 505.351; and
38	38	(C) the person does not:
39	39	(i) represent the service as social work;
40	40	(ii) represent that the person is a social
41	41	worker; or
42	42	(iii) use a title that implies that the
43	43	person is licensed in social work;
44	44	(2) [a service performed by a person as a volunteer or
45	45	staff member if the person does not:
46	46	[(A) represent the service as social work;
47	47	[(B) represent the person as a social worker; or
48	48	[(C) use a title that implies that the person is
49	49	licensed in social work;
50	50	[(3)] an activity conducted by a social work student,
51	51	intern, or trainee in connection with an institution of higher
52	52	education accredited by the Council on Social Work Education; or
53	53	(3) [(4)] an activity conducted or a service performed
54	54	by a pastoral care counselor who is acting within the person's
55	55	ministerial capabilities and who does not use a title that implies
56	56	that the counselor is licensed in social work, including:
57	57	(A) a Christian Science practitioner who is
58	58	recognized by the Church of Christ Scientist as registered and
59	59	published in the Christian Science Journal; and
60	60	(B) any other recognized religious practitioner.
61	61	SECTION 3. Sections 503.051 and 505.003(b), Occupations
62	62	Code, are repealed.
63	63	SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.