Medical Occupations

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details about how the board will assess other states' licensing requirements or what happens in cases where those requirements do not meet Tennessee's standards.

Medical Occupations: Professional Counselor Licensing

This bill changes Tennessee's law to allow professional counselors licensed in other U.S. states or territories to get a license in Tennessee without completing additional graduate coursework if their original licensing requirements meet Tennessee's standards.

What This Bill Does

• Changes the requirement for professional counselor licensure so that applicants with valid licenses from other U.S. places don't need 60 graduate hours of counseling study if those states' requirements are acceptable by Tennessee’s board.

Who It Names or Affects

• Professional counselors who want to work in Tennessee but already have licenses from other U.S. states or territories.

Terms To Know

board

The board for professional counselors, marital and family therapists, and clinical pastoral therapists that sets rules for licensing.

unencumbered license

A valid license without any restrictions or penalties attached to it.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify how the board will decide if other states' requirements are acceptable.
• It is unclear what happens if an applicant's original licensing state has different requirements that Tennessee finds unacceptable.

Official Summary Text

Present law requires that a
n applicant for licensure as a professional counselor
must
pay
a
fee
set by the
board for professional counselors, marital and family therapists and
clinical pastoral therapists
("board"),
and satisfy
certain criteria, including obtaining
60 graduate hours in counseling or a closely related field
.

This bill creates an exemption from the 60-graduate-hour requirement for an
applicant
that
has a valid, u
nencumbered license as a professional counselor issued by another state, territory, or federal district of the United State
s and t
he requirements for licensure as a professional counselor by that issuing
body
are judged to be acceptable by the board.

Current Bill Text

<BillNo> <Sponsor>

SENATE BILL 20
By Watson

SB0020
000445
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 63,
relative to licensing requirements for professional
counselors.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-22-104(3)(B), is amended by
deleting the language "Has obtained" and substituting "Except as provided in subsection (b),
has obtained".
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-22-104, is amended by
designating the existing language as subsection (a), and adding the following as a new
subsection (b):
(b) Subdivision (a)(3)(B) does not apply to an applicant for licensure as a
professional counselor if:
(1) The applicant has a valid, unencumbered license as a professional
counselor issued by another state, territory, or federal district of the United
States; and
(2) The requirements for licensure as a professional counselor by that
issuing state, territory, or federal district are judged to be acceptable by the
board.
SECTION 3. For the purpose of promulgating rules to effectuate this act, this act takes
effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it. For all other purposes, this act takes
effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it.