BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                  SB 274
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   July 6, 2011

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                Felipe Fuentes, Chair

                     SB 274 (Wyland) - As Amended:  June 3, 2011 

          Policy Committee:                             Business and 
          Professions  Vote:                            9-0

          Urgency:     Yes                  State Mandated Local Program: 
          No     Reimbursable:              No

           SUMMARY  

          As proposed to be amended, this bill revises several statutes 
          related to professions licensed by the Board of Behavioral 
          Sciences.  The amendments make minor, clarifying, and 
          non-substantive changes.  Specifically, this bill:

          1)Clarifies existing law by defining the phrase "engaging in the 
            practice" of educational psychology, clinical social work, and 
            professional clinical counseling, mirroring the existing law 
            definition of this term as it relates to marriage and family 
            therapy.
             
          2)Clarifies the documentation standards that apply for claiming 
            years of experience when applicants apply for a professional 
            clinical counselor (LPCC) license.  

          3)Makes technical and clarifying changes to recently enacted 
            "grandparenting" provisions for LPCCs. 

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          Negligible direct state fiscal impact.  

           COMMENTS  

           1)Rationale  .  The author states that this bill is needed in 
            order to clarify existing law regarding the definition of 
            "engaging in practice," and to ensure that professional 
            clinical counselor interns are required to provide the same 
            level of documentation of their experience as applicants for 
            other licenses issued by the Board of Behavioral Sciences, the 








                                                                  SB 274
                                                                  Page  2

            bill's sponsor.  This bill is an urgency measure in order to 
            allow these clarifying changes to be effective prior to the 
            implementation of LPCC licensure on January 1, 2012.

           2)Related Legislation  . SB 788 (Wyland), Chapter 619, Statutes of 
            2009 established state licensure standards for professional 
            clinical counselors (LPCCs). 


          Analysis Prepared by  :    Lisa Murawski / APPR. / (916) 319-2081