00                     CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 257(L&C)                                                                    
01 "An Act extending the termination date of the Board of Professional Counselors; and                                     
02 relating to licensing of professional counselors."                                                                      
03 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                                
04    * Section 1.  AS 08.03.010(c)(17) is amended to read:                                                              
05                 (17)  Board of Professional Counselors (AS 08.29.010) -- June 30,                                       
06       2005 [2002];                                                                                                  
07    * Sec. 2.  AS 08.29.110(a) is amended to read:                                                                     
08            (a)  The board shall issue a professional counselor license to a person who                                  
09       applies for the license, submits the required fee, submits two letters of                                         
10       recommendation from professional counselors who are familiar with the applicant's                                 
11       practice of professional counseling, and presents evidence satisfactory to the board                              
12       that the person                                                                                                   
13                 (1)  is at least 18 years of age;                                                                       
14                 (2)  is not under investigation in this or another jurisdiction for an act                              

01       that would constitute a violation of this chapter;                                                                
02                 (3)  has not had a license related to the practice of counseling,                                       
03       psychology, marital and family therapy, or social work in this or another jurisdiction                            
04       suspended, revoked, or surrendered in lieu of discipline unless the license has been                              
05       fully reinstated in that jurisdiction;                                                                            
06                 (4)  has passed a written examination as required by the board; the                                     
07       board may provide that passing a nationally recognized examination for professional                               
08       counselors is sufficient to meet the examination requirement of this paragraph;                                   
09                 (5)  has successfully completed either                                                                  
10                      (A)  an earned doctoral degree in counseling or a related                                          
11            professional field from a regionally or nationally accredited institution of                             
12            higher education approved by the board; or                                                                   
13                      (B)  an earned master's degree in counseling or a related                                          
14            professional field, from a regionally or nationally accredited institution of                                
15            higher education approved by the board, and [CONSISTING OF] at least 60                              
16            [48 SEMESTER HOURS AND AT LEAST 12 OTHER] graduate semester                                                  
17            hours in counseling during or after earning the master's degree [, FOR A                                     
18            TOTAL OF AT LEAST 60 HOURS]; and                                                                             
19                 (6)  has, after completing the requirement of either (5)(A) or (B) of this                              
20       subsection, had at least 3,000 hours of supervised experience in the practice of                                  
21       professional counseling performed over a period of at least two years under the                                   
22       supervision of a supervisor approved under AS 08.29.210, with at least 1,000 hours of                             
23       direct counseling with individuals, couples, families, or groups and at least 100 hours                           
24       of face-to-face supervision by a supervisor approved under AS 08.29.210 unless,                                   
25       under regulations of the board, the board allows the supervision to be by telephonic or                           
26       electronic means because of the remote location of the counselor.