HBA-MSH H.B. 2944 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2944 By: Capelo Human Services 3/25/2001 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Under current law, a person has to hold a master's or doctoral degree in counseling or a related field to be qualified for a license to engage in the practice of professional counseling. A licensee is authorized to engage in an independent counseling practice and receive insurance and Medicaid reimbursement. The Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors receives applications from individuals with master's or doctoral degrees in communications, sociology, music and dance therapy, and other disciplines that may not provide all of the training a degree in counseling provides. House Bill 2944 removes the provision allowing an applicant to hold a master's or doctoral degree in a related field to be eligible to receive a professional counselor's license. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS House Bill 2944 amends the Occupations Code to provide that a person hold a master's or doctoral degree in counseling and not in a related field to be qualified for a license to engage in the practice of professional counseling. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2001. The Act applies only to a license application filed with the Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors on or after that date.