The practice of psychology, extending the time limit for emergency rule procedures, providing an exemption from emergency rule procedures, granting rule-making authority, and requiring the exercise of rule-making authority. (FE)

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 a person to work as a school psychologist in school settings without a license issued by the examining board if the person receives a school psychologist license from the Department of Public Instruction.

Psychology; scope of practice and licensure requirements The bill revises the definition of the “practice of psychology,” revises various provisions that exempt certain types of individuals from the licensure requirement, and adds a number of additional exemptions.

The bill revises the licensure requirements that must be satisfied in order to be granted a psychologist license by the examining board. The changes include specifying the required hours of supervised experience and eliminating a prohibition on the examining board from promulgating rules to require an internship.

The bill eliminates the ability of the examining board to deny a license on the basis of an applicant's arrest record.

Interim license The bill requires the examining board to issue an interim license to an applicant who satisfies all of the requirements for a psychologist license other than the postdoctoral supervised experience requirement and the required written examination on the professional practice of psychology. An interim license is valid for two years or until the individual obtains a permanent license, subject to a hardship exemption prescribed by the examining board by rule that could allow renewals beyond two years.

Continuing education The bill allows the examining board to establish criteria that would allow psychologists to substitute hours of professional activities to meet continuing education requirements. The bill also requires the examining board to grant exemptions from continuing education requirements on the grounds of prolonged illness or disability, or other grounds that constitute extreme hardship, and on the grounds of permanent retirement from the practice of psychology.