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SB-993 • 2026

Board of Behavioral Sciences: licensees: notices.

Board of Behavioral Sciences: licensees: notices.

Healthcare Labor
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Ochoa Bogh
Last action
2026-04-24
Official status
Set for hearing May 4.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The specific requirements that must be met for employers to exercise discretion over disclosure are not detailed in the official summary.

Board of Behavioral Sciences: Notices for Licensees

This law requires therapists to provide clients with written notices about complaints and their licenses, while allowing employers discretion over disclosure based on safety concerns in certain settings.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires marriage and family therapists, educational psychologists, clinical social workers, and professional clinical counselors to give clients written notices about complaints and their licenses.
  • Authorizes employing entities or agencies of these professionals to exercise discretion whether to disclose information about the licensee and their license based on individual safety concerns in specified practice settings.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Marriage and family therapists
  • Educational psychologists
  • Clinical social workers
  • Professional clinical counselors

Terms To Know

Licensee
A professional who is licensed by the Board of Behavioral Sciences to provide therapy or counseling services.
Employing entity
The organization that hires and employs a therapist, such as a clinic or hospital.

Limits and Unknowns

  • Does not specify which practice settings qualify for employer discretion.
  • Does not detail the safety concerns that would allow employers to withhold information.
  • Effective date is not provided in the official summary.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-24 California Legislative Information

    Set for hearing May 4.

  2. 2026-04-20 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (April 20). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  3. 2026-04-15 California Legislative Information

    Set for hearing April 20.

  4. 2026-04-13 California Legislative Information

    April 13 set for first hearing canceled at the request of author.

  5. 2026-04-09 California Legislative Information

    Set for hearing April 13.

  6. 2026-04-08 California Legislative Information

    From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on B. P. & E.D.

  7. 2026-04-08 California Legislative Information

    Re-referred to Com. on B. P. & E.D.

  8. 2026-03-19 California Legislative Information

    From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on RLS.

  9. 2026-02-18 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Com. on RLS.

  10. 2026-02-09 California Legislative Information

    From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 8.

  11. 2026-02-05 California Legislative Information

    Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Official Summary Text

SB 993, as amended, Ochoa Bogh.
Marriage and family therapists.
Board of Behavioral Sciences: licensees: notices.
Existing law establishes the Board of Behavioral Sciences and sets forth its powers and duties, including, but not limited to, the licensing, registration, and regulation of marriage and family
therapists.
therapists, educational psychologists, clinical social workers, and professional clinical counselors.
Existing law requires
a marriage and family therapist
these licensees and registrants
to provide a client with a written notice stating that the board receives and responds to complaints regarding services
provided by
marriage and family therapists
the licensee or registrant
and containing specified information about the
therapist
licensee or registrant
and their license.
This bill would authorize the employing entity or agency of the
therapist,
licensee or registrant,
in specified practice settings, to exercise discretion whether to disclose any or all of the information about the
therapist
licensee or registrant
and their license in the notice based on individual safety concerns if certain requirements are met.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
Download Bill PDF