2021 Montana Legislature

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_____________ bill NO. _____________

INTRODUCED BY _________________________________________________

By Request of the ****

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: "AN ACT REVISING LICENSURE FOR PSYCHOLOGISTS; ALLOWING LICENSURE OF INDIVIDUALS WITH EXPERIENCE AND NO DISCIPLINE IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS; ALLOWING TEMPORARY LICENSURE OF POSTDOCTORAL SUPERVISEES; REPEALING SECTIONS 37-17-304 AND 37-17-310, MCA; and PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE."

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:

 

NEW SECTION. Section 1. Licensure by experience. The board shall license a person as a psychologist if the person pays the prescribed fees and submits evidence that the person:

(1) is 18 years of age or older;

(2) is of good moral character;

(3) has a doctoral degree described in 37-17-302;

(4) is licensed or certified as a psychologist in another jurisdiction that has a disciplinary process as part of its regulatory structure;

(5) has actively practiced psychology under a license as described in subsection (4) or maintained certification as described in subsection (4) for 5 of the 7 years immediately preceding application in the state;

(6) is not subject to pending criminal or administrative charges related to unprofessional conduct or impairment; and

(7) has not been administratively disciplined for unprofessional conduct or impairment in any jurisdiction within the 7 years immediately preceding application in the state.

 

NEW SECTION. Section 2. Licensure of postdoctoral supervisees. (1) (a) Except as provided in subsection (1)(b), if a person submits evidence that the person is engaged in a postdoctoral supervision program as part of a plan approved by the board and meets the qualifications of 37-17-302, the board shall license the person as a psychologist.

(b) A person licensed under this subsection (1) is not required to pass the prescribed exam and have 1 year of postdoctoral supervised experience as provided in 37-17-302(4).

(2) The person may only practice as described in the approved postdoctoral supervision plan.

(3) The license provided for in this section expires at the conclusion of the approved postdoctoral supervision program, unless the person meets all of the qualifications in 37-17-302.

 

NEW SECTION. Section 3. Repealer. The following sections of the Montana Code Annotated are repealed:

37-17-304.        Admission of licensees from other states or jurisdictions.

37-17-310.        Licensure of senior psychologists.

 

NEW SECTION. Section 4. Codification instruction. [Sections 1 and 2] are intended to be codified as an integral part of Title 37, chapter 17, part 3, and the provisions of Title 37, chapter 17, part 3, apply to [sections 1 and 2].

 

NEW SECTION. Section 5. Effective date. [This act] is effective July 1, 2021.