SB 378

Under current law, no person may engage in the practice of psychology without

being licensed as a psychologist by the Psychology Examining Board. This bill makes

various revisions to the laws governing the board and the practice of psychology.

Significant changes are described as follows:

Psychology Examining Board; composition

Under current law, the board is required to be composed of six members,

including four licensed psychologists and two public members. Current law requires

that each psychologist member represent a different specialty area within the field

of psychology.

The bill eliminates the requirement that each psychologist member represent

a different specialty area within the field of psychology and instead simply requires

that the governor, to the extent possible, nominate psychologists to the board who

represent different specialty areas within the field of psychology.

Private practice school psychologists

Under current law, no person may engage in the private practice of school

psychology without a private practice school psychologist license.

The bill allows private practice school psychologists who are licensed under

current law to continue to renew their licenses and engage in the private practice of

school psychology. However, the bill otherwise discontinues the licensure of private

practice school psychologists. The bill continues to allow the practice of school

psychology in school settings without a license issued by the board by individuals

credentialed by the Department of Public Instruction.

Psychology; scope of practice and licensure requirements

1. The bill revises the definition of the “practice of psychology” for purposes of

the requirement that an individual obtain a psychologist license in order to engage

in that practice. The bill also revises various provisions that exempt certain types

of individuals from the licensure requirement and adds a number of additional

exemptions.

2. The bill revises the licensure requirements that must be satisfied in order

to be granted a psychologist license by the board. The changes include eliminating

a prohibition on the board promulgating rules to require an internship.

3. The bill eliminates the ability of the board to deny a license based on an

applicant's arrest record.

Interim license

The bill requires the board to issue an interim psychologist license to an

applicant who satisfies all of the requirements for a psychologist license, other than

the postdoctoral supervised experience requirement. An interim license is valid for

two years or until the individual obtains a permanent license, subject to a hardship

exemption prescribed by the board by rule that could allow renewals beyond two

years.