2 | 4 | | |
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3 | 5 | | |
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4 | 6 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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5 | 7 | | AN ACT |
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6 | 8 | | relating to required reintegration therapy coursework and training |
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7 | 9 | | for certain mental health professionals. |
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8 | 10 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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9 | 11 | | SECTION 1. This Act may be cited as the Reintegration |
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10 | 12 | | Therapy Training Act of 2025. |
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11 | 13 | | SECTION 2. The legislature finds that: |
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12 | 14 | | (1) mental health professionals require comprehensive |
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13 | 15 | | training to effectively address the complexities associated with |
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14 | 16 | | identity confusion and gender dysphoria; |
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15 | 17 | | (2) reintegration therapy is essential for assisting |
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16 | 18 | | individuals, particularly minors, who experience difficulties |
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17 | 19 | | after attempting to transition socially or medically from their |
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18 | 20 | | sex; and |
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19 | 21 | | (3) there is a need for specialized training in |
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20 | 22 | | reintegration therapy to better support individuals experiencing |
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21 | 23 | | alienation from self and familial conflicts due to identity issues |
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22 | 24 | | and gender dysphoria. |
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23 | 25 | | SECTION 3. Subchapter F, Chapter 51, Education Code, is |
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24 | 26 | | amended by adding Section 51.306 to read as follows: |
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25 | 27 | | Sec. 51.306. REINTEGRATION THERAPY COURSEWORK. (a) In |
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26 | 28 | | this section: |
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27 | 29 | | (1) "Coordinating board" means the Texas Higher |
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28 | 30 | | Education Coordinating Board. |
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29 | 31 | | (2) "Institution of higher education" has the meaning |
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30 | 32 | | assigned by Section 61.003. |
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31 | 33 | | (3) "Mental health professional" has the meaning |
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32 | 34 | | assigned by Section 61.601. |
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33 | 35 | | (4) "Reintegration therapy" means therapeutic |
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34 | 36 | | practices designed to assist an individual who has undergone or |
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35 | 37 | | considered social or medical transition from the individual's sex, |
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36 | 38 | | focusing on alleviating distress over the individual's sex and |
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37 | 39 | | fostering reconciliation with the reality of biological sex. |
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38 | 40 | | (b) Each institution of higher education that offers a |
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39 | 41 | | mental health professional degree program shall require students |
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40 | 42 | | enrolled in the program to complete a course of instruction on |
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41 | 43 | | reintegration therapy. The coordinating board, in consultation |
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42 | 44 | | with the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council, by rule shall |
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43 | 45 | | prescribe the curriculum and other requirements for the course. |
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44 | 46 | | The curriculum must cover: |
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45 | 47 | | (1) alienation from self and resulting psychological |
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46 | 48 | | impacts; |
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47 | 49 | | (2) familial attention and strategies for |
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48 | 50 | | reconciliation; |
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49 | 51 | | (3) gender stereotypes and that stereotypes do not |
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50 | 52 | | determine an individual's sex; |
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51 | 53 | | (4) the binary reality of sex; |
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52 | 54 | | (5) coping strategies for individuals who feel a loss |
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53 | 55 | | of self due to attempts at social or medical transitioning; and |
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54 | 56 | | (6) other topics as determined by the coordinating |
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55 | 57 | | board related to the psychological, social, and medical |
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56 | 58 | | implications of social or medical transitioning, including but not |
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57 | 59 | | limited to the negative consequences of surgical intervention, |
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58 | 60 | | puberty blockers or other hormones, binding, and tucking. |
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59 | 61 | | SECTION 4. Subchapter F, Chapter 507, Occupations Code, is |
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60 | 62 | | amended by adding Section 507.260 to read as follows: |
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61 | 63 | | Sec. 507.260. REINTEGRATION THERAPY TRAINING. (a) A |
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62 | 64 | | license holder shall biennially complete three hours of continuing |
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63 | 65 | | education in reintegration therapy, as defined by Section 51.306, |
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64 | 66 | | Education Code. |
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65 | 67 | | (b) The executive council may not renew the license of a |
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66 | 68 | | license holder who does not complete the training required by this |
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67 | 69 | | section. |
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68 | 70 | | (c) A license holder may complete the training required by |
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69 | 71 | | this section: |
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70 | 72 | | (1) as part of any continuing education required by |
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71 | 73 | | the executive council under Section 507.157; and |
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72 | 74 | | (2) in more than one training session. |
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73 | 75 | | SECTION 5. Section 51.306, Education Code, as added by this |
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74 | 76 | | Act, applies beginning with students initially enrolling in a |
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75 | 77 | | mental health professional degree program at a public institution |
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76 | 78 | | of higher education in the 2025-2026 academic year. |
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77 | 79 | | SECTION 6. Section 507.260, Occupations Code, as added by |
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78 | 80 | | this Act, applies only to the renewal of a license or registration |
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79 | 81 | | permit on or after January 1, 2027. |
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80 | 82 | | SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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