00                  SENATE CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 126(FIN) am S                                                             
01 "An Act relating to the Board of Professional Counselors; relating to licensing of                                      
02 associate counselors; relating to marital and family therapists; relating to telehealth;                                
03 relating to review organizations and permitting an emergency medical services provider                                  
04 to establish a review organization; relating to patient records; relating to disclosure and                             
05 reporting of health care services, prices, and fee information; relating to the health care                             
06 professionals workforce enhancement program; prohibiting unfair discrimination under                                    
07 group health insurance against associate counselors; relating to medical assistance for                                 
08 professional counseling services; relating to mental health professionals; relating to                                  
09 health care provider liability; and providing for an effective date."                                                   
10 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                                
11    * Section 1. AS 08.02.110(a) is amended to read:                                                                   
12            (a)  An acupuncturist licensed under AS 08.06, an audiologist or speech-                                     
01 language pathologist licensed under AS 08.11, a behavior analyst licensed under                                         
02 AS 08.15, a person licensed in the state as a chiropractor under AS 08.20, a                                            
03 professional or associate counselor licensed under AS 08.29, a dentist under                                        
04 AS 08.36, a dietitian or nutritionist licensed under AS 08.38, a massage therapist                                      
05 licensed under AS 08.61, a marital and family therapist licensed under AS 08.63, a                                      
06 medical practitioner or osteopath under AS 08.64, a direct-entry midwife certified                                      
07 under AS 08.65, a registered or advanced practice registered nurse under AS 08.68, an                                   
08 optometrist under AS 08.72, a licensed pharmacist under AS 08.80, a physical                                            
09 therapist or occupational therapist licensed under AS 08.84, a psychologist under                                       
10 AS 08.86, or a clinical social worker licensed under AS 08.95, shall use as                                             
11 professional identification appropriate letters or a title after that person's name that                                
12 represents the person's specific field of practice. The letters or title shall appear on all                            
13 signs, stationery, or other advertising in which the person offers or displays personal                                 
14 professional services to the public. In addition, a person engaged in the practice of                                   
15 medicine or osteopathy as defined in AS 08.64.380, or a person engaged in any                                           
16 manner in the healing arts who diagnoses, treats, tests, or counsels other persons in                                   
17 relation to human health or disease and uses the letters "M.D." or the title "doctor" or                                
18 "physician" or another title that tends to show that the person is willing or qualified to                              
19 diagnose, treat, test, or counsel another person, shall clarify the letters or title by                                 
20 adding the appropriate specialist designation, if any, such as "dermatologist,"                                         
21       "radiologist," "audiologist," "naturopath," or the like.                                                          
22    * Sec. 2. AS 08.02.130(j)(1) is amended to read:                                                                   
23                 (1)  "health care provider" means                                                                       
24 (A)  an audiologist or speech-language pathologist licensed                                                             
25 under AS 08.11; a behavior analyst licensed under AS 08.15; a chiropractor                                              
26 licensed under AS 08.20; a professional or associate counselor licensed under                                       
27 AS 08.29; a dental hygienist licensed under AS 08.32; a dentist licensed under                                          
28 AS 08.36; a dietitian or nutritionist licensed under AS 08.38; a naturopath                                             
29 licensed under AS 08.45; a marital and family therapist licensed under                                                  
30 AS 08.63; a physician licensed under AS 08.64; a podiatrist, osteopath, or                                              
31 physician assistant licensed under AS 08.64; a direct-entry midwife certified                                           
01 under AS 08.65; a nurse licensed under AS 08.68; a dispensing optician                                                  
02 licensed under AS 08.71; an optometrist licensed under AS 08.72; a pharmacist                                           
03 licensed under AS 08.80; a physical therapist or occupational therapist licensed                                        
04 under AS 08.84; a psychologist or psychological associate licensed under                                                
05            AS 08.86; or a social worker licensed under AS 08.95; or                                                     
06                      (B)  a physician licensed in another state;                                                        
07    * Sec. 3. AS 08.29.020(a) is amended to read:                                                                      
08            (a)  In addition to the duties specified in AS 08.01, the board shall                                        
09                 (1)  license professional counselors and associate counselors, establish                            
10 criteria for supervisor certification and associate counselor licensure, and certify                                
11 approved counselor supervisors under this chapter; the board may provide for                                            
12       licensure in areas of counseling specialization;                                                                  
13 (2)  establish continuing education requirements for the renewal of a                                                   
14       license under this chapter;                                                                                       
15 (3)  adopt, by regulation, a code of ethics that must be observed by                                                    
16       persons licensed under this chapter;                                                                              
17 (4)  establish education and training requirements that must be met                                                     
18 before a professional counselor can administer and use assessment instruments                                           
19       described in AS 08.29.490(1)(C); and                                                                              
20 (5)  enforce the provisions of this chapter and adopt regulations                                                       
21       necessary to carry out the board's duties under this chapter.                                                     
22    * Sec. 4. AS 08.29.100(a) is amended to read:                                                                      
23            (a)  A person who is not licensed under this chapter may not                                                 
24 (1)  profess to be a licensed professional counselor, a professional                                                    
25       counselor, [OR] a licensed counselor, or an associate counselor; or                                           
26 (2)  make use of a title, words, letters, or abbreviations that may                                                     
27 reasonably be confused with the title of "licensed professional counselor,"                                             
28       "professional counselor," [OR] "licensed counselor, [.]" or "associate counselor."                        
29    * Sec. 5. AS 08.29.110(a) is amended to read:                                                                      
30 (a)  The board shall issue a professional counselor license to a person who                                             
31 applies for the license, submits the required fee, [SUBMITS TWO LETTERS OF                                              
01       RECOMMENDATION FROM PROFESSIONAL COUNSELORS WHO ARE                                                               
02       FAMILIAR WITH THE APPLICANT'S PRACTICE OF PROFESSIONAL                                                            
03       COUNSELING,] and presents evidence satisfactory to the board that the person                                      
04                 (1)  is at least 18 years of age;                                                                       
05                 (2)  is not under investigation in this or another jurisdiction for an act                              
06       that would constitute a violation of this chapter;                                                                
07 (3)  has not had a license related to the practice of counseling,                                                       
08 psychology, marital and family therapy, or social work in this or another jurisdiction                                  
09 suspended, revoked, or surrendered in lieu of discipline unless the license has been                                    
10       fully reinstated in that jurisdiction;                                                                            
11 (4)  has passed a written examination as required by the board; the                                                     
12 board may provide that passing a nationally recognized examination for professional                                     
13       counselors is sufficient to meet the examination requirement of this paragraph;                                   
14                 (5)  has successfully completed either                                                                  
15 (A)  an earned doctoral degree in counseling or a related                                                               
16 professional field from a regionally or nationally accredited institution of                                            
17            higher education approved by the board; or                                                                   
18 (B)  an earned master's degree in counseling or a related                                                               
19 professional field, from a regionally or nationally accredited institution of                                           
20 higher education approved by the board, and at least 60 graduate semester                                               
21 hours in counseling [DURING OR AFTER EARNING THE MASTER'S                                                               
22            DEGREE]; and                                                                                                 
23 (6)  has, after earning the degree required under either (5)(A) or (B) of                                               
24 this subsection, successfully completed an associate counselor program authorized                                   
25 in regulations of the board or completed [HAD] at least 3,000 hours of supervised                                   
26 experience in the practice of professional counseling performed over a period of at                                     
27 least two years under the supervision of a supervisor approved under regulations of                                 
28 the board [AS 08.29.210], with at least 1,000 hours of direct counseling with                                       
29 individuals, couples, families, or groups and at least 100 hours of direct [FACE-TO-                                
30 FACE] supervision [BY A SUPERVISOR] approved [UNDER AS 08.29.210                                                        
31 UNLESS,] under regulations of the board [, THE BOARD ALLOWS THE                                                         
01       SUPERVISION TO BE BY TELEPHONIC OR ELECTRONIC MEANS BECAUSE                                                       
02       OF THE REMOTE LOCATION OF THE COUNSELOR].                                                                         
03    * Sec. 6. AS 08.29.120(a) is amended to read:                                                                      
04 (a)  Except as provided in (b) of this section, the board may issue a license                                           
05 under this chapter to a person who is licensed in another jurisdiction to practice as a                             
06 professional counselor or associate counselor [COUNSELING] if the board finds                                       
07 that the other jurisdiction has substantially the same or higher licensure requirements                                 
08       as this state.                                                                                                    
09    * Sec. 7. AS 08.29.220 is amended to read:                                                                         
10 Sec. 08.29.220. Disclosure statement. A client may not be charged a fee for                                           
11 professional counseling services unless, before the performance of the services, the                                    
12       client was furnished a copy of a professional disclosure statement that contained                               
13 (1)  the name, title, business address, and business telephone number of                                                
14       the professional counselor or associate counselor;                                                            
15 (2)  a description of the formal professional education of the                                                          
16 professional counselor or associate counselor, including the institutions attended and                              
17       the degrees received from them;                                                                                   
18 (3)  the [PROFESSIONAL COUNSELOR'S] areas of specialization                                                             
19       and the services available of the professional counselor or associate counselor;                              
20 (4)  the [PROFESSIONAL COUNSELOR'S] fee schedule listed by                                                              
21       type of service or hourly rate of the professional counselor or associate counselor;                          
22 (5)  at the bottom of the first page of the statement, the following                                                    
23 sentence: "This information is required by the Board of Professional Counselors which                                   
24 regulates all licensed professional counselors and associate counselors," followed by                               
25       the name, address, and telephone number of the board's office.                                                    
26    * Sec. 8. AS 08.29.400(a) is amended to read:                                                                      
27 (a)  The board may impose a disciplinary sanction under AS 08.01.075 on a                                               
28 person licensed under this chapter or deny a license to a person when the board finds                                   
29       that the person                                                                                                   
30 (1)  has an addiction to, or severe dependency on, alcohol or other                                                     
31 drugs that impairs the person's ability to engage safely in the practice of professional                                
01       counseling;                                                                                                       
02                 (2)  has been convicted of a felony and has not been sufficiently                                       
03       rehabilitated to merit the public trust;                                                                          
04                 (3)  used fraud, deception, misrepresentation, or bribery in securing a                                 
05       license under this chapter or in obtaining permission to take an examination required                             
06       under this chapter;                                                                                               
07                 (4)  is incompetent or has committed misconduct, fraud,                                                 
08       misrepresentation, or dishonesty in the performance of the functions of a licensed                                
09       professional counselor or associate counselor;                                                                
10 (5)  violated, or assisted another individual to violate, a provision of                                                
11       this chapter or a regulation adopted under this chapter;                                                          
12                 (6)  impersonated a person who holds a license under this chapter;                                      
13 (7)  has had a license related to the practice of counseling, psychology,                                               
14 marital and family therapy, or social work in this or another jurisdiction revoked,                                     
15 suspended, limited, or surrendered in lieu of discipline upon grounds for which a                                       
16 license issued under this chapter could be revoked, suspended, limited, or surrendered                                  
17 in lieu of discipline; this paragraph does not apply to license actions for failure to pay                              
18       a renewal fee;                                                                                                    
19 (8)  assisted another person who is not licensed under this chapter in an                                               
20 attempt to represent the person to the public as a licensed professional counselor or                               
21       associate counselor;                                                                                          
22                 (9)  was issued a license based on a material mistake of fact;                                          
23 (10)  used an advertisement or solicitation that is false, misleading, or                                               
24 deceptive to the general public or the person to whom the advertisement was primarily                                   
25       directed; or                                                                                                      
26 (11)  failed to respond within 30 days to a written communication from                                                  
27 the board concerning an investigation by the board or failed to make available to the                                   
28 board a relevant record with respect to an investigation about the licensee's conduct or                                
29       background.                                                                                                       
30    * Sec. 9. AS 08.63.100(a) is amended to read:                                                                      
31 (a)  The board shall issue a license to practice marital and family therapy to a                                        
01       person who                                                                                                        
02                 (1)  applies on a form provided by the board;                                                           
03                 (2)  pays the fee established under AS 08.01.065;                                                       
04                 (3)  furnishes evidence satisfactory to the board that the person                                       
05                      (A)  has not engaged in conduct that is a ground for imposing                                      
06            disciplinary sanctions under AS 08.63.210;                                                                   
07 (B)  holds a master's degree or doctorate in marital and family                                                         
08 therapy or allied mental health field from a regionally accredited educational                                          
09 institution approved by the board for which the person completed a course of                                            
10            study that included instruction substantially equivalent to the following:                                   
11 (i)  [THREE COURSES OR] nine semester or 12                                                                             
12                 quarter hours of course work in marital and family therapy;                                             
13 (ii)  [THREE COURSES OR] nine semester or 12                                                                            
14                 quarter hours of course work in marital and family studies;                                             
15 (iii)  [THREE COURSES OR] nine semester or 12                                                                           
16                 quarter hours of course work in human development;                                                      
17 (iv)  [ONE COURSE OR] three semester or four quarter                                                                    
18 hours of course work in professional studies or professional ethics and                                                 
19                 law;                                                                                                    
20 (v)  [ONE COURSE OR] three semester or four quarter                                                                     
21                 hours of course work in research; and                                                                   
22 (vi)  nine semester or 12 quarter hours [ONE YEAR]                                                                  
23                 of supervised clinical practice in marital and family therapy;                                          
24 (C)  after receiving a degree described in (B) of this paragraph,                                                       
25 has practiced supervised marital and family therapy in this state or another                                        
26 jurisdiction, including 1,700 hours of clinical contact with couples,                                               
27 individuals, and families; the 1,700 hours of clinical contact must include at                                          
28            least                                                                                                        
29 (i)  100 hours of individual supervision approved by                                                            
30                 the board; and                                                                                      
31 (ii)  100 hours of either individual or group                                                                   
01 supervision, or a combination of those hours, approved by the board;                                                
02 [THE 100 HOURS OF INDIVIDUAL SUPERVISION AND 100                                                                        
03 HOURS OF GROUP SUPERVISION MAY BE CONDUCTED BY                                                                          
04                 ONE OR MORE SUPERVISORS;]                                                                               
05                      (D)  has received training related to domestic violence; and                                       
06                      (E)  has passed a written or oral examination administered by                                      
07            the board.                                                                                                   
08    * Sec. 10. AS 08.63.100(b) is amended to read:                                                                     
09            (b)  Under regulations adopted by the board, a person who holds a master's or                                
10 doctorate degree in marital and family therapy or allied mental health field from a                                     
11 regionally accredited educational institution approved by the board, but whose course                                   
12 of degree study did not include all the course work [COURSES] or clinical practice                                  
13 requirements set out in (a)(3)(B) of this section may substitute post-degree course                                 
14 work [COURSES] or practice, as approved by the board, to satisfy the requirements                                   
15       of (a)(3)(B) of this section.                                                                                     
16    * Sec. 11. AS 08.63.110(c) is amended to read:                                                                     
17 (c)  A license for supervised practice expires four years from the date of                                              
18 issuance but may be extended because of extenuating circumstances at the                                            
19       discretion of the board [AND MAY NOT BE RENEWED].                                                             
20    * Sec. 12. AS 08.63.900(6) is amended to read:                                                                     
21 (6)  "supervision" means synchronous [FACE-TO-FACE]                                                                 
22 consultation, direction, review, evaluation, and assessment of the practice of the                                      
23 person being supervised, including direct observation and the review of case                                            
24       presentations, audio recordings [TAPES], and video recordings [TAPES].                                    
25    * Sec. 13. AS 08.86.180(d) is amended to read:                                                                     
26 (d)  Nothing in this section prohibits a licensed clinical social worker, a                                             
27 licensed marital and family therapist, or a licensed professional or associate counselor                            
28 from holding out to the public by a title or description of services incorporating the                                  
29 words "psychoanalysis," "psychoanalyst," "psychotherapy," "psychotherapist," or                                         
30       "psychotherapeutic."                                                                                              
31    * Sec. 14. AS 09.65.300(a) is amended to read:                                                                     
01            (a)  Except as otherwise provided in this section, a health care provider who                                
02       provides health care services to another person is not liable for civil damages resulting                         
03       from an act or omission in providing the health care services if the health care                                  
04                 (1)  provider is licensed in this state to provide health care services; in                             
05       this paragraph, "health care provider" includes a health care provider who holds a                                
06       temporary license or permit to practice as a health care provider;                                                
07                 (2)  services provided were within the scope of the health care                                         
08       provider's license;                                                                                               
09                 (3)  services were provided                                                                           
10 (A)  at a medical clinic, medical facility, nonprofit facility,                                                 
11 temporary emergency site, or other facility owned or operated by a                                                      
12 governmental entity or nonprofit organization and the health care provider was                                      
13 acting within the scope of the provider's responsibilities in the medical clinic,                                       
14            governmental entity, or nonprofit organization; or                                                       
15 (B)  through telehealth under AS 08.02.130 while the health                                                         
16 care provider was located at a clinic, facility, or site listed in (A) of this                                      
17 paragraph or the private office of the health care provider and the health                                          
18 care provider was acting within the scope of the provider's responsibilities                                        
19            at the clinic, facility, or site listed in (A) of this paragraph;                                      
20 (4)  services were provided voluntarily and without pay to the health                                                   
21       care provider for the services, except as provided in (b)(2) and (3) of this section; and                         
22                 (5)  provider                                                                                           
23 (A)  obtains informed consent in writing from the person                                                                
24 receiving the health care services as described under AS 09.55.556, except in                                           
25            the case of an emergency;                                                                                    
26 (B)  provides the person receiving the health care services                                                             
27 advance written notice of the immunity provided under this section to a health                                          
28 care provider when providing voluntary health care services as described under                                          
29            this section; and                                                                                            
30 (C)  provides the person receiving health care services with                                                            
31 written notice of the name of a licensed health care provider in the state that                                         
01 the person receiving health care services may contact for emergency follow-up                                           
02            care within 30 days after a procedure is performed.                                                          
03    * Sec. 15. AS 09.65.300(c)(1) is amended to read:                                                                  
04 (1)  "health care provider" means a physician, physician assistant,                                                     
05 dentist, dental hygienist, osteopath, optometrist, chiropractor, registered nurse,                                      
06 practical nurse, advanced practice registered nurse, naturopath, physical therapist,                                    
07 occupational therapist, marital and family therapist, psychologist, psychological                                       
08 associate, behavior analyst, assistant behavior analyst, licensed clinical social worker,                               
09 athletic trainer, [OR] certified direct-entry midwife, licensed professional counselor,                             
10       or licensed associate counselor;                                                                              
11    "* Sec. 16. AS 18.23.070(1) is amended to read:                                                                  
12 (1)  "administrative staff" means the staff of an agency, institution, or                                           
13       organization that provides health care [A HOSPITAL OR CLINIC];                                                
14    * Sec. 17. AS 18.23.070(3) is amended to read:                                                                     
15 (3)  "health care provider" means an acupuncturist licensed under                                                       
16 AS 08.06; a chiropractor licensed under AS 08.20; a dental hygienist licensed under                                     
17 AS 08.32; a dentist licensed under AS 08.36; a physician or podiatrist licensed                                     
18 under AS 08.64; a nurse licensed under AS 08.68; a dispensing optician licensed                                     
19 under AS 08.71; an optometrist licensed under AS 08.72; a pharmacist licensed under                                     
20 AS 08.80; a physical therapist or occupational therapist licensed under AS 08.84; [A                                    
21 PHYSICIAN LICENSED UNDER AS 08.64; A PODIATRIST;] a psychologist and a                                                  
22 psychological associate licensed under AS 08.86; an organization or government                                      
23 agency that is certified or licensed to provide emergency medical services under                                    
24 AS 18.08; a hospital as defined in AS 47.32.900, including a governmentally owned                                   
25 or operated hospital; and an employee of a health care provider acting within the                                       
26       course and scope of employment;                                                                                   
27    * Sec. 18. AS 18.23.070(5) is amended to read:                                                                     
28                 (5)  "review organization" means                                                                        
29 (A)  a hospital governing body or a committee whose                                                                     
30 membership is limited to health care providers and administrative staff, except                                         
31 where otherwise provided for by state or federal law, and that is established by                                        
01 a hospital, by a clinic, by one or more state or local associations of health care                                      
02 providers, by an organization of health care providers from a particular area or                                        
03 medical institution, by an organization or government agency that provides                                          
04 emergency medical services, or by a professional standards review                                                   
05 organization established under 42 U.S.C. 1320c-1, to gather and review                                                  
06            information relating to the care and treatment of patients for the purposes of                               
07                           (i)  evaluating and improving the quality of health care                                      
08                 rendered in the area or medical institution;                                                            
09                           (ii)  reducing morbidity or mortality;                                                        
10 (iii)  obtaining and disseminating statistics and                                                                       
11 information relative to the treatment and prevention of diseases, illness,                                              
12                 and injuries;                                                                                           
13 (iv)  developing and publishing guidelines showing the                                                                  
14                 norms of health care in the area or medical institution;                                                
15 (v)  developing and publishing guidelines designed to                                                                   
16                 keep the cost of health care within reasonable bounds;                                                  
17 (vi)  reviewing the quality or cost of health care services                                                             
18                 provided to enrollees of health maintenance organizations;                                              
19 (vii)  acting as a professional standards review                                                                        
20                 organization under 42 U.S.C. 1320c;                                                                     
21 (viii)  reviewing, ruling on, or advising on controversies,                                                             
22 disputes, or questions between a health insurance carrier or health                                                     
23 maintenance organization and one or more of its insured or enrollees;                                                   
24 between a professional licensing board, acting under its powers of                                                      
25 discipline or license revocation or suspension, and a health care                                                       
26 provider licensed by it when the matter is referred to a review                                                         
27 organization by the professional licensing board; between a health care                                                 
28 provider and the provider's patients concerning diagnosis, treatment, or                                                
29 care, or a charge or fee; between a health care provider and a health                                                   
30 insurance carrier or health maintenance organization concerning a                                                       
31 charge or fee for health care services provided to an insured or enrollee;                                              
01                 or between a health care provider or the provider's patients and the                                    
02                 federal or a state or local government, or an agency of the federal or a                                
03                 state or local government;                                                                              
04                           (ix)  acting on the recommendation of a credential                                            
05                 review committee or a grievance committee;                                                              
06                      (B)  the State Medical Board established by AS 08.64.010;                                          
07 (C)  a committee established by the commissioner of health and                                                          
08 approved by the State Medical Board to review public health issues regarding                                            
09 morbidity or mortality; at least 75 percent of the committee members must be                                            
10            health care providers;                                                                                       
11 (D)  the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare                                                                
12            Organizations (JCAHO).                                                                                       
13    * Sec. 19. AS 18.23.400(n)(3) is amended to read:                                                                  
14 (3)  "health care facility" means a private, municipal, or state hospital,                                              
15 psychiatric hospital, emergency department, independent diagnostic testing facility,                                    
16 residential psychiatric treatment center as defined in AS 47.32.900, kidney disease                                     
17 treatment center (including freestanding hemodialysis units), office of a private                                       
18 physician or dentist whether in individual or group practice, ambulatory surgical                                       
19 center as defined in AS 47.32.900, freestanding birth center as defined in                                              
20 AS 47.32.900, and rural health clinic as defined in AS 47.32.900; "health care facility"                                
21       does not include                                                                                                  
22 (A)  the Alaska Pioneers' Home and the Alaska Veterans' Home                                                            
23            administered by the department under AS 47.55;                                                               
24                      (B)  an assisted living home as defined in AS 47.33.990;                                           
25 (C)  a nursing facility licensed by the department to provide                                                           
26            long-term care;                                                                                              
27 (D)  a facility operated by an Alaska tribal health organization;                                                       
28            [AND]                                                                                                        
29 (E)  a hospital operated by the United States Department of                                                             
30 Veterans Affairs or the United States Department of Defense, or any other                                               
31            federally operated hospital or institution; or                                                           
01 (F)  a hospital subject to 45 C.F.R. 180 as that section read                                                       
02 on the effective date of this Act or any other federal price transparency                                           
03 requirements that are reasonably similar to or exceed the requirements in                                           
04            this section;"                                                                                           
05    * Sec. 20. AS 18.29.190(9) is amended to read:                                                                     
06 (9)  "tier II health care professional" means a person who spends not                                                   
07 less than 50 percent of the person's time on direct patient health care services and who                                
08 is licensed or exempt from licensure in the state as a dental hygienist, advanced                                       
09 practice registered nurse, registered nurse, physician assistant, physical therapist,                                   
10 professional counselor, associate counselor, board certified behavior analyst, marital                              
11 and family therapist, clinical social worker, or other health care professional as                                      
12       determined by the commissioner;                                                                                   
13    * Sec. 21. AS 21.36.090(d) is amended to read:                                                                     
14 (d)  Except to the extent necessary to comply with AS 21.42.365 and                                                     
15 AS 21.56, a person may not practice or permit unfair discrimination against a person                                    
16 who provides a service covered under a group health insurance policy that extends                                       
17 coverage on an expense incurred basis, or under a group service or indemnity type                                       
18 contract issued by a health maintenance organization or a nonprofit corporation, if the                                 
19 service is within the scope of the provider's occupational license. In this subsection,                                 
20 "provider" means a state licensed physician, physician assistant, dentist, osteopath,                                   
21 optometrist, chiropractor, advanced practice registered nurse, pharmacist, naturopath,                                  
22 physical therapist, occupational therapist, marital and family therapist, psychologist,                                 
23 psychological associate, licensed clinical social worker, licensed professional                                         
24 counselor, licensed associate counselor, certified direct-entry midwife, or dental                                  
25       hygienist holding an advanced practice permit.                                                                    
26    * Sec. 22. AS 47.07.900(16) is amended to read:                                                                    
27 (16)  "professional counseling services" means services within the                                                      
28 practice of professional counseling provided by a person licensed as a professional or                              
29 associate counselor under AS 08.29; professional counseling services may be                                         
30       provided at a facility that is not a provider of clinic services.                                                 
31    * Sec. 23. AS 47.30.915(16) is amended to read:                                                                    
01 (16)  "mental health professional" means a psychiatrist or physician                                                    
02 who is licensed by the State Medical Board to practice in this state or is employed by                                  
03 the federal government; a clinical psychologist licensed by the state Board of                                          
04 Psychologist and Psychological Associate Examiners; a psychological associate                                           
05 trained in clinical psychology and licensed by the Board of Psychologist and                                            
06 Psychological Associate Examiners; an advanced practice registered nurse or a                                           
07 registered nurse with a master's degree in psychiatric nursing, licensed by the State                                   
08 Board of Nursing; a marital and family therapist licensed by the Board of Marital and                                   
09 Family Therapy; a professional or associate counselor licensed by the Board of                                      
10       Professional Counselors; a clinical social worker licensed by the Board of Social                                 
11       Work Examiners; and a person who                                                                                  
12                      (A)  has a master's degree in the field of mental health;                                          
13                      (B)  has at least 12 months of post-masters working experience                                     
14            in the field of mental illness; and                                                                          
15                      (C)  is working under the supervision of a type of licensee listed                                 
16            in this paragraph;                                                                                           
17    * Sec. 24. AS 08.29.210; AS 08.63.130, and 08.63.900(3) are repealed.                                              
18    * Sec. 25. Sections 16 - 19 of this Act take effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c).                             
19    * Sec. 26. Except as provided in sec. 25 of this Act, this Act takes effect July 1, 2025.