CHAPTER 129
HOUSE BILL No. 2234
An Act relating to the behavioral sciences; licensure reciprocity; amending K.S.A. 65-5807,
65-6309, 65-6406 and 74-5315 and repealing the existing sections.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas:

      New Section  1. (a) The behavioral sciences regulatory board may
issue a license to an individual who is currently registered, certified or
licensed to practice psychology at the masters level in another jurisdiction
if the board determines that:

      (1) The standards for registration, certification or licensure to prac-
tice psychology at the masters level in the other jurisdiction are substan-
tially equivalent to the requirements of this state; or

      (2) the applicant demonstrates, on forms provided by the board, com-
pliance with the following standards adopted by the board:

      (A) Continuous registration, certification or licensure to practice psy-
chology at the masters level during the five years immediately preceding
the application with at least the minimum professional experience as es-
tablished by rules and regulations of the board;

      (B) the absence of disciplinary actions of a serious nature brought by
a registration, certification or licensing board or agency; and

      (C) a masters degree in psychology from a regionally accredited uni-
versity or college.

      (b) Applicants for licensure as a clinical psychotherapist shall addi-
tionally demonstrate competence to diagnose and treat mental disorders
through meeting the requirements of either paragraph (1) or (2) of sub-
section (a) and at least two of the following areas acceptable to the board:

      (1) Either graduate coursework as established by rules and regula-
tions of the board or passing a national clinical examination approved by
the board;

      (2) three years of clinical practice with demonstrated experience in
diagnosing or treating mental disorders; or

      (3) attestation from a professional licensed to diagnose and treat men-
tal disorders in independent practice or licensed to practice medicine and
surgery stating that the applicant is competent to diagnose and treat men-
tal disorders.

      (c) An applicant for a license under this section shall pay an appli-
cation fee established by the board under K.S.A. 74-5365 and amend-
ments thereto.

      Sec.  2. K.S.A. 65-5807 is hereby amended to read as follows: 65-
5807. The board may at its discretion waive the statutory requirements
of an applicant for licensure as a licensed professional counselor or clinical
professional counselor if such applicant is licensed, registered, certified
or otherwise authorized to practice professional counseling or clinical pro-
fessional counseling by a similar board in another state and if the stan-
dards and qualifications required for the practice of professional coun-
seling or clinical professional counseling in the state in which the applicant
is so authorized are substantially the same as those required under the
professional counselors licensure act.

      (a) The board may issue a license to an individual who is currently
registered, certified or licensed to practice professional counseling in an-
other jurisdiction if the board determines that:

      (1) The standards for registration, certification or licensure to prac-
tice professional counseling in the other jurisdiction are substantially
equivalent to the requirements of this state; or

      (2) the applicant demonstrates on forms provided by the board com-
pliance with the following standards as adopted by the board:

      (A) Continuous registration, certification or licensure to practice pro-
fessional counseling during the five years immediately preceding the ap-
plication with at least the minimum professional experience as established
by rules and regulations of the board;

      (B) the absence of disciplinary actions of a serious nature brought by
a registration, certification or licensing board or agency; and

      (C) a masters degree in counseling from a regionally accredited uni-
versity or college.

      (b) Applicants for licensure as a clinical professional counselor shall
additionally demonstrate competence to diagnose and treat mental dis-
orders through meeting the requirements of either paragraph (1) or (2)
of subsection (a) and at least two of the following areas acceptable to the
board:

      (1) Either graduate coursework as established by rules and regula-
tions of the board or passing a national clinical examination approved by
the board;

      (2) three years of clinical practice with demonstrated experience in
diagnosing or treating mental disorders; or

      (3) attestation from a professional licensed to diagnose and treat men-
tal disorders in independent practice or licensed to practice medicine and
surgery stating that the applicant is competent to diagnose and treat men-
tal disorders.

      (c) An applicant for a license under this section shall pay an appli-
cation fee established by the board under K.S.A. 65-5808 and amendments
thereto.

      Sec.  3. K.S.A. 65-6309 is hereby amended to read as follows: 65-
6309. (a) Except as provided in subsections (b) and (c), an applicant shall
be exempted from the requirement for any examination provided for
herein if:

      (1) The applicant proves to the board that the applicant is licensed
or registered under the laws of a state or territory of the United States
that imposes substantially the same requirements as this act as deter-
mined by the board; and

      (2) pursuant to the laws of any such state or territory, the applicant
has taken and passed an examination similar to that for which exemption
is sought, as determined by the board.

      (b) The board may issue a license to an individual who is currently
licensed to practice social work at the clinical level in another jurisdiction
if the board determines that:

      (1) The standards for licensure to practice social work at the clinical
level in the other jurisdiction are substantially equivalent to the require-
ments of this state for licensure at the clinical level; or

      (2) the applicant demonstrates on forms provided by the board com-
pliance with the following standards as adopted by the board:

      (A) Continuous licensure to practice social work at the clinical level
during the five years immediately preceding the application with at least
the minimum professional experience as established by rules and regula-
tions of the board;

      (B) the absence of disciplinary actions of a serious nature brought by
a licensing board or agency; and

      (C) a masters or doctoral degree in social work from a regionally
accredited university or college and from an accredited graduate social
work program recognized and approved by the board pursuant to rules
and regulations adopted by the board.

      (c) Applicants for licensure as a clinical specialist social worker shall
additionally demonstrate competence to diagnose and treat mental dis-
orders through meeting the following requirements:

      (1) Passing a national clinical examination approved by the board or,
in the absence of the national examination, continuous licensure to prac-
tice as a clinical social worker during the 10 years immediately preceding
the application; and

      (2) three years of clinical practice with demonstrated experience in
diagnosing or treating mental disorders.

      (d) An applicant for a license under this section shall pay an appli-
cation fee established by the board under K.S.A. 65-6314 and amendments
thereto.

      (b) An applicant for a license as a baccalaureate social worker who is,
on the effective date of this act, employed as a social worker, social work
supervisor or a social work administrator and who applied for such license
on or before July 1, 1975, shall be exempted from academic and exami-
nation requirements imposed under the provisions of this act. An appli-
cant for a license as a baccalaureate social worker who is a social worker,
otherwise qualified for licensure as a baccalaureate social worker, and
who applied for such license on or before July 1, 1975, shall be exempt
from the examination requirements imposed under the provisions of this
act.

      (c) An applicant for a license as a master social worker who applied
for such license on or before July 1, 1975, and who presents proof to the
board that such applicant is engaging in the private practice of social work
may be exempt from the two years' supervised experience otherwise re-
quired by this act.

      (d) An applicant for a license as a master social worker who has sat-
isfactorily completed a master's program in social work and was awarded
a certificate, and who is employed in a position for which the master's
degree is normally required and who applied for such license on or before
July 1, 1975, shall be exempt from academic and examination require-
ments for licensing under the provisions of this act. An applicant for a
license as a master social worker who is otherwise qualified for such li-
censure on the effective date of this act and who applied for such license
on or before July 1, 1975, shall be exempt from the examination require-
ments for licensing under the provisions of this act.

      (e) An applicant for a license in a social work specialty who has sat-
isfactorily completed two years of graduate social work training and was
awarded a certificate, and who is employed in a position for which the
master's degree is normally required and who applied for such license on
or before July 1, 1975, shall be exempt from academic requirements for
licensing under the provisions of this act.

      (f) An applicant for a license in a social work specialty who is other-
wise qualified for such license on the effective date of this act and who
applied for such license on or before July 1, 1975, shall be exempt from
the examination requirements for licensing under the provisions of this
act.

      (g) An applicant for licensing in a social work specialty who was en-
gaged in the practice of a specialty approved by the board on the effective
date of this act and who meets the academic requirements for licensing
as a master social worker or qualifies for an exemption therefrom under
the provisions of this section shall be exempt from the requirement for
two years of supervised experience required for licensing under the pro-
visions of this act.

      (h) (e) Upon application, the board shall issue temporary licenses to
persons who have met all qualifications for licensure under provisions of
this act, except passage of the required examination, who must wait for
completion of the next examination, who have paid the required fee and
who have submitted documentation as required by the board under the
following provisions: (1) The temporary license shall expire upon receipt
and recording of the person's examination score by the board if such
person fails the examination or upon the date the board issues or denies
the person a license to practice social work if such person passes the
examination; (2) such persons shall take the next license examination sub-
sequent to the date of issuance of the temporary license unless there are
extenuating circumstances approved by the board; (3) no person may be
granted a temporary license more than once; and (4) no person may work
under a temporary license except under the supervision of a licensed
social worker. Nothing in this subsection shall affect any temporary permit
to practice issued under this subsection prior to the effective date of this
act and in effect on the effective date of this act. Such temporary permit
shall be subject to the provisions of this subsection in effect at the time
of its issuance and shall continue to be effective until the date of expiration
of the permit as provided under this subsection at the time of issuance
of such temporary permit.

      (i) (f) Any individual employed by a hospital and working in the area
of hospital social services to patients of such hospital on July 1, 1974, is
exempt from the provisions of this act.

      (j) (g) If an applicant is denied licensure, the board shall provide the
applicant with a written explanation of the denial within 10 days after the
decision of the board, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays.

      Sec.  4. K.S.A. 65-6406 is hereby amended to read as follows: 65-
6406. (a) The board shall may issue a license to an individual who is
currently registered, certified or licensed to practice marriage and family
therapy in another jurisdiction if the board determines that:

      (1) The standards for registration, certification or licensure to prac-
tice marriage and family therapy in the other jurisdiction are substantially
the equivalent of the requirements of the marriage and family therapists
licensure act and rules and regulations of the board. An applicant for a
license under this section shall pay an application fee established by the
board under K.S.A. 65-6411 and amendments thereto.;

      (2) the applicant demonstrates on forms provided by the board com-
pliance with the following standards as adopted by the board:

      (A) Continuous registration, certification or licensure to practice
marriage and family therapy during the five years immediately preceding
the application with at least the minimum professional experience as es-
tablished by rules and regulations of the board;

      (B) the absence of disciplinary actions of a serious nature brought by
a registration, certification or licensing board or agency; and

      (C) completion of a masters degree in marriage and family therapy
from a regionally accredited university.

      (b) Applicants for licensure as a clinical marriage and family therapist
shall additionally demonstrate competence to diagnose and treat mental
disorders through meeting the requirements of either paragraph (1) or
(2) of subsection (a) and at least two of the following areas acceptable to
the board:

      (1) Either graduate coursework as established by rules and regula-
tions of the board or passing a national clinical examination approved by
the board;

      (2) three years of clinical practice with demonstrated experience in
diagnosing or treating mental disorders; or

      (3) attestation from a professional licensed to diagnose and treat men-
tal disorders in independent practice or licensed to practice medicine and
surgery stating that the applicant is competent to diagnose and treat men-
tal disorders.

      (c) An applicant for a license under this section shall pay an appli-
cation fee established by the board under K.S.A. 65-6411, and amend-
ments thereto.

      Sec.  5. K.S.A. 74-5315 is hereby amended to read as follows: 74-
5315. (a) The board may grant a license without examination to any per-
son who, at the time of application, is registered, certified or licensed or
certified by a board of psychology examiners of as a psychologist at the
doctoral level in another state if jurisdiction if the board determines that:

      (1) The requirements of such state jurisdiction for such certification
or licensure are substantially the equivalent of the requirements of this
act. state; or

      (2) the applicant demonstrates on forms provided by the board com-
pliance with the following standards as adopted by the board:

      (A) Continuous registration, certification or licensure as a psycholo-
gist at the doctoral level during the five years immediately preceding the
application with at least the minimum professional experience as estab-
lished by rules and regulations of the board;

      (B) the absence of disciplinary actions of a serious nature brought by
a registration, certification or licensing board or agency; and

      (C) a doctoral degree in psychology from a regionally accredited uni-
versity or college.

      (b) An applicant for a license under this section shall pay an appli-
cation fee established by the board under K.S.A. 65-5310 and amendments
thereto.

 Sec.  6. K.S.A. 65-5807, 65-6309, 65-6406 and 74-5315 are hereby
repealed.

 Sec.  7. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its
publication in the statute book.

Approved April 21, 2003.
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