The document outlines a series of legislative changes in California that impact public safety, corrections, education, and mental health services. Key amendments include adjustments to the Board of State and Community Corrections' quorum requirements, the renaming of the Prison Industry Authority, and clarifications regarding juvenile court jurisdiction. Additionally, counties are restricted from initiating driver's license suspensions for revenue collection, which may influence local finances.

In education, local agencies are required to adopt policies addressing pupil behavioral health and ensure that a significant percentage of staff receive training in this area. Funding will support these initiatives, emphasizing evidence-based practices for recognizing and addressing mental health issues among students. Regulations for nonpublic, nonsectarian schools have been established, focusing on compliance, operational standards, and the use of seclusion and restraints in psychiatric facilities to protect patient rights.

Changes to firearm possession regulations mandate that individuals under protective orders relinquish firearms, while law enforcement agencies must develop policies on the use of force, including de-escalation techniques. The document also highlights the need for improved training and support for foster parents and caregivers, alongside initiatives to expand behavioral health resources for children and youth, and mandates workplace violence prevention plans in healthcare settings.

Significant amendments to the Penal Code address the distribution and possession of obscene materials involving minors, establishing severe penalties and clarifying enforcement procedures. The document also details the evaluation and commitment processes for defendants deemed mentally incompetent to stand trial, emphasizing timely evaluations and treatment options. Enhanced training for peace officers on crisis intervention and interactions with individuals experiencing mental health issues is also mandated.

Lastly, the document introduces changes to the Public Resources Code, Public Utilities Code, and Unemployment Insurance Code, affecting various industries. It emphasizes the rights of children in foster care, ensuring access to healthcare, education, and legal representation, while establishing a mobile response system for children in crisis. Overall, these legislative changes reflect a commitment to improving public safety, accountability, and support for vulnerable populations, particularly children in foster care and those involved in the juvenile justice system.

FULL SUMMARY

The bill replaces recovery-unfriendly terminology throughout mental health and addiction statutes, including “substance abuse” with “substance use,” “opiate or opioid addiction” with “opioid use disorder,” “detoxification” with “withdrawal management,” and “substance abuse counselor” with “alcohol and drug counselor.” Related definitions and statutory references are conformed to the new terminology, including insurance coverage provisions, treatment and licensing laws, criminal-justice diversion programs, professional licensing provisions, and public-health requirements.

The bill requires the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection to coordinate with both the Department of Public Health and the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services when deploying grief counselors and mental health professionals after a mass shooting. It revises advisory-board requirements for Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services-operated facilities by retaining the requirement for at least two members with lived behavioral-health experience, exempting the Connecticut Valley Hospital Advisory Council and Whiting Forensic Hospital Oversight Board, and eliminating rules concerning additional appointments, vacancies, staggered terms, term limits, and minimum representation from regional behavioral health organizations and catchment-area councils.

The bill repeals the statutory catchment-area-council framework and removes related references, reflecting that those functions are performed by regional behavioral health action organizations. Most provisions take effect October 1, 2026; the mass-shooting behavioral-health deployment provision and the changes to advisory boards for department-operated facilities take effect upon passage.

The document establishes a new Part XVII of chapter 468, Florida Statutes, titled "Music Therapy," which creates licensure requirements, defines practice standards, and sets disciplinary grounds for music therapists. It introduces the formation of the Music Therapy Advisory Committee within the Department of Health, detailing its composition, appointment process, duties, and meeting requirements, with initial appointments including non-licensed practitioners with at least three years of experience. The committee is responsible for overseeing licensure, practice standards, and rulemaking related to music therapy.

The bill sets forth practice standards for licensed professional music therapists, including requirements to review client diagnoses, collaborate with healthcare providers, and coordinate with audiologists or speech-language pathologists when addressing communication disorders. It also prohibits unlicensed individuals from practicing music therapy and mandates collaboration with the client's treatment team during service provision, effective from January 1, 2027.

Additionally, the bill creates Section 468.8506, establishing grounds for disciplinary action against licensed music therapists. These grounds include failure to maintain licensure, criminal convictions, unprofessional conduct such as negligence or abuse, violations of the part, and disciplinary actions in other jurisdictions. The Department of Health is authorized to investigate misconduct and impose sanctions such as license suspension, revocation, probation, reprimand, or fines. The department is also required to adopt implementing rules by October 1, 2026, with the act taking effect on July 1, 2026.

FULL SUMMARY

The bill creates a Family Empowerment Scholarship categorical fund and an educational enrollment stabilization program. The Department of Education must distribute scholarship funds quarterly based on forecasted or verified full-time-equivalent scholarship students, with payments conditioned on organizational compliance and eligibility verification; excess releases must be returned within 30 days, and the department may inspect relevant records. The stabilization program may supplement school-district funding when enrollment changes or appropriations are insufficient, maintain Family Empowerment Scholarship award amounts, cover eligible personalized-education applicants under the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program when available funds are insufficient, and maintain a projected minimum balance of $250 million. Unspent balances may be carried forward for up to 10 years.

The bill substantially revises scholarship administration beginning primarily with the 2026-2027 school year. Scholarship-funding organizations must use a single, free application; establish fall and spring approval windows; apply specified income, foster-care, renewal, and other priorities; award newly eligible students generally on a first-come, first-served basis; verify eligibility annually and before each payment; use Florida student identification numbers and cross-check applicants against public-school attendance records; suspend payments for ineligible or duplicate students; and avoid reserving awards for particular private schools. Payments are divided into 10 installments, may not begin before specified dates, and require parent or school attendance attestations. Separate student accounts, funds-transfer payments, reimbursement procedures, account-balance limits of $24,000 or $50,000 depending on program eligibility, parent notices before account closure, and reporting of reverted funds are required. Authorized uses are expanded or clarified to include digital devices, online resources, postsecondary and preapprenticeship programs, Florida Virtual School as a private-paying student, tutoring and choice-navigation services, career and technical student-organization fees, and various disability-related services.

The bill renames the Hope Scholarship Program as the Hope Program and establishes the McKay-Gardiner Scholarship designation for eligible students with disabilities. It adds or strengthens requirements for participating private schools and scholarship organizations concerning background screening, ownership transfers, fiscal soundness, ethical-conduct policies, employment-history checks, testing, quarterly reporting, complaint investigations, and reimbursement controls. The Auditor General must annually audit specified scholarship-organization background-screening records beginning July 1, 2027, and must annually examine enrollment records; errors can result in funding adjustments or deductions. Administrative-expense limits for scholarship organizations are reduced from 2.5 percent to 1.5 percent for specified Family Empowerment Scholarship operations and from 3 percent to 2 percent for specified tax-credit scholarship operations. The Department of Education must submit by December 1, 2026, recommendations for transferring scholarship-program administration to a single accountable entity, including implementation, procurement, cost, accountability, and background-screening plans; that provision expires July 1, 2027. The act takes effect July 1, 2026.

The document establishes a comprehensive regulatory framework for music therapy in Florida by creating Part XVII of chapter 468 of the Florida Statutes, titled "Music Therapy." It introduces licensing requirements for music therapists, including specific education, examination, and certification standards, with licenses to be renewed biennially and unlicensed practice prohibited starting January 1, 2027. The framework defines key terms such as "board-certified music therapist" and "practice of music therapy" as necessary for implementing the licensing provisions.

Additionally, the document creates new statutory sections detailing practice standards, restrictions, and grounds for disciplinary actions against licensed music therapists. Violations include failure to maintain certification, providing false information, criminal convictions, unprofessional conduct, and violations by other jurisdictions. Disciplinary sanctions authorized include license suspension, revocation, denial, probation, reprimand, or fines. The Department of Health is tasked with adopting implementing rules by October 1, 2026, and the act is set to take effect on July 1, 2026.

The document establishes a new Gun Violence Prevention Pilot Program in Gainesville by creating section 394.4997 of the Florida Statutes. This program includes legislative findings, development, eligibility criteria, operational requirements, referral processes, reporting obligations, and an expiration date. It authorizes an appropriation of $500,000 from the General Revenue Fund for its implementation, with an effective date of July 1, 2026. The program specifically targets participants aged 10 to 21 who are at moderate or high risk of gun violence, including victims, offenders, or individuals returning from delinquency programs, as well as their family members. Definitions necessary for understanding the program include "IMPACT GNV" and "Gun Violence Prevention Pilot Program."

The document outlines amendments to various licensing acts in Illinois that affect the fields of clinical psychology, social work, marriage and family therapy, music therapy, occupational therapy, and professional counseling. A significant change across these acts is the introduction of provisions allowing applicants to temporarily practice under supervision while their licensure applications are pending, provided they meet specific conditions.

For clinical psychologists and social workers, the amendments specify qualifications for licensure, including educational requirements and the necessity of good moral character. Additionally, the renewal process for licenses has been streamlined, allowing for renewals within 60 days of expiration, and provisions for restoring expired or inactive licenses have been established, particularly for military service members.

In the areas of marriage and family therapy, music therapy, occupational therapy, and professional counseling, similar temporary practice provisions have been introduced, with varying effective dates. These changes are expected to enhance access to mental health services by facilitating a quicker entry into the workforce for licensed professionals.

The amendments emphasize non-discriminatory practices in licensing, ensuring that licenses cannot be denied based on race, religion, creed, national origin, political beliefs, age, sex, sexual orientation, or physical impairment. Overall, these changes aim to streamline the licensing process and improve the availability of mental health services in Illinois.

The document amends the Music Therapy Licensing and Practice Act in Illinois by making a technical change to the short title of the Act. This amendment is part of a broader regulatory framework aimed at enhancing the music therapy industry.

The changes are scheduled to take effect immediately and will impact the music therapy sector, although specific monetary implications are not detailed. Additionally, the section in question is set to be repealed on January 1, 2028.

The document outlines the establishment of the Illinois Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facilities (PRTF) program, which aims to enhance the availability of subacute psychiatric services for individuals under 21. This initiative is expected to significantly impact the mental health services sector by providing a structured framework for delivering intensive psychiatric care in non-acute settings, thereby improving access to necessary treatment for youth.

In addition to the PRTF program, the document details amendments to various acts governing healthcare and long-term care facilities in Illinois. These amendments clarify the definitions and operational requirements for healthcare facilities, including skilled nursing and intermediate care facilities, as well as child care institutions and community living residences. The changes are designed to ensure compliance with updated state regulations and enhance the quality of care provided to vulnerable populations.

The amendments also address the operational landscape for mental health facilities, particularly those certified under the PRTF Act. By establishing clearer standards and definitions, the document aims to improve oversight and accountability within the mental health services industry, which is crucial for safeguarding the well-being of individuals receiving care.

While specific monetary impacts are not detailed, the requirement for compliance with new operational standards may lead to increased costs for affected facilities. The changes are expected to influence the healthcare industry significantly, particularly in the areas of mental health and long-term care, as facilities adapt to meet the new regulatory framework.

Overall, the document emphasizes the importance of regulatory compliance and the need for enhanced oversight in various healthcare and long-term care settings, ultimately aiming to improve service delivery and outcomes for individuals in need of care.

FULL SUMMARY

The bill establishes a Kentucky regulatory framework for music therapy within KRS Chapter 309. It defines music therapy, music therapy interventions, treatment plans, and the scope of practice, including referrals, assessments for treatment indication, treatment planning and implementation, evaluation, coordination of services, and client-support education. The scope expressly excludes screening, diagnosis, or assessment of physical, mental, or communication disorders and psychological testing.

It creates the five-member Kentucky Board of Licensure for Professional Music Therapists within the Public Protection Cabinet’s Department of Professional Licensing. The Governor appoints three licensed music therapists, one non-music-therapist health care provider, and one public member to staggered four-year terms. The board must issue two-year licenses to applicants who are at least 18, have a qualifying bachelor’s degree or higher with clinical training, and hold or be transitioning into current board certification; it may license applicants based on substantially equivalent out-of-state or foreign credentials. The board is authorized to set licensure and administrative fees, with specified caps of $200 for initial and renewal fees, $25 for duplicate or replacement licenses, and $100 for reinstatement after late renewal; promulgate regulations; maintain a public license register; investigate complaints; conduct hearings; establish ethics and continuing-education requirements; and discipline licensees.

After December 31, 2027, unlicensed persons may not practice music therapy or use protected titles such as “board-certified music therapist,” “licensed professional music therapist,” or “LPMT.” Exceptions cover other licensed or certified professionals and supervised personnel performing music-related work incidental to their authorized occupations, as well as supervised students and trainees, provided they do not represent themselves as music therapists. Licensees must coordinate with relevant health care or education professionals and may not represent themselves as authorized to treat communication, mental health, or substance use disorders, or replace audiology or speech-language pathology services. The bill provides disciplinary procedures and appeals, creates a nonlapsing board fund, imposes a $500-to-$1,000 fine for violations, and establishes initial board appointments with one-, two-, and three-year staggered terms.

FULL SUMMARY

The bill establishes a five-member Board of Registration for Music Therapists within the Department of Public Health. The governor would appoint one public representative, two board-certified music therapists with at least three years’ recent Massachusetts practice experience, and two music-therapy educators with at least three years’ recent teaching experience at a Massachusetts post-secondary institution. Members generally serve three-year terms, with staggered initial terms; the board elects officers, meets at least quarterly, and is funded through licensure fees. It would set registration and ethical requirements, evaluate applicants, issue licenses, investigate complaints, adopt regulations, and may use standards of the Certification Board for Music Therapists or a successor organization.

The bill creates a licensed professional music therapist credential and defines music therapy as clinical, evidence-based music interventions delivered by a board-certified music therapist through individualized treatment plans. The practice includes assessment for music-therapy services, treatment planning and implementation, progress evaluation, coordination with clients and care teams, and related interventions, but excludes screening, diagnosis, or assessment of physical, mental, or communication disorders. Full licensure generally requires good moral character, a bachelor’s degree or higher in music therapy or an equivalent program with clinical training, passage of the national certification examination or transition into certification, and current board certification. Licenses renew every two years; renewal requires continuing education and current certification. The board may grant licenses without examination to qualified licensees from other jurisdictions and may issue provisional licenses valid for no more than six months.

The bill restricts use of the titles “music therapist” and “licensed professional music therapist” and the practice of music therapy to licensed individuals, while exempting other licensed professionals performing incidental music-related work, certified practitioners in their own professions, students in accredited music-therapy programs, supervised persons, and individuals completing specified licensure requirements. Licensed music therapists must coordinate clinical services with relevant health-care providers and educational services with individualized-plan teams; they may not replace audiology or speech-language pathology services or evaluate, treat, or represent authorization to treat communication, speech, language, or swallowing disorders unless separately authorized. Violations, fraudulent licensure representations, and false required oaths are subject to fines of $500 to $1,000, and the board may suspend, revoke, place on probation, or reprimand licensees after a hearing for specified misconduct.

FULL SUMMARY

The report describes the condition and operations of Massachusetts Veterans Homes at Chelsea and Holyoke, which provide long-term care, skilled nursing, domiciliary housing, and support services to Massachusetts veterans. It covers quality of care, financial status, program uniformity, capital needs, and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) accreditation, as required under Massachusetts General Laws chapter 115A, section 12.

The Homes have standardized policies and procedures, implemented electronic medical records, and established monthly multidisciplinary Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement teams with oversight from the Executive Office of Veterans Services. Ombudspersons independently receive and investigate complaints at each Home, and a memorandum of agreement created a four-level Certified Nursing Assistant career ladder. The report cites a 17.3% decline in falls per 1,000 veteran days from 2021 through 2025 and high resident satisfaction ratings at both facilities.

For FY2025, Chelsea received a $53.09 million appropriation and listed $15.93 million in revenue; Holyoke received $34.31 million in appropriations and listed $8.89 million in revenue in its detailed table. Chelsea’s 154-bed long-term-care facility is operating, while its domiciliary campus is planned for redevelopment into approximately 240 affordable veteran-preference housing units. Holyoke is constructing a replacement facility with $263.5 million in federal VA funding and $141.9 million in Commonwealth funding, designed to house 234 veterans and support a 40-to-50-participant adult day health program.

Both Homes maintain DPH licensure, CMS certification, and VA State Veterans Home Program participation. Holyoke received CMS certification effective April 14, 2025, and passed its 2025 VA survey without deficiencies; Chelsea retained VA certification after a 2024 survey that identified deficiencies subject to a corrective action plan and provisional certification.

FULL SUMMARY

The Act establishes a licensing-portability framework for members of the U.S. Foreign Service and their spouses who relocate to Maryland because of a Foreign Service assignment or detail. An eligible individual may practice under a license, permit, certification, registration, or comparable authorization issued by another state for the duration of the assignment or detail, provided the individual submits assignment documentation, remains in good standing in the issuing state and other relevant states, actively used the license during the two years before relocation, and complies with Maryland standards of practice, discipline, and continuing education. The framework excludes occupations covered by an interstate compact and the practice of law. Authorized individuals may practice only within the same discipline and scope as their out-of-state authorization, may not be required to obtain Maryland licensure unless seeking a different discipline or scope, may practice to the same extent and in the same capacity as Maryland licensees—including supervising where permitted—and remain subject to Maryland disciplinary authority; licensing authorities may adopt implementing regulations.

The Act makes conforming changes across Maryland’s occupational, professional, business, health, education, environmental, financial, insurance, labor, natural-resources, public-safety, public-utility, and transportation laws. These changes add the Foreign Service authorization as an exception to numerous Maryland licensing, certification, registration, permit, and examination requirements, and recognize authorized Foreign Service licensees as eligible supervisors or practitioners in fields including veterinary medicine, barbering and cosmetology, engineering, real estate, health professions, counseling, social work, pharmacy, education, environmental services, security, contracting, energy sales, and vehicle-related services. Related provisions clarify that such individuals may satisfy supervision requirements and perform specified regulated activities without obtaining a separate Maryland credential.

The Act also entitles an individual holding a valid master plumber/gasfitter license from another state to an equivalent Public Service Commission license without examination upon presentation of the Commission-issued license, and bars the Motor Vehicle Administration from requiring an individual authorized under the new framework to conduct vehicle inspections to take the inspection-mechanic examination. The Act takes effect October 1, 2026.

The legislation establishes a framework for out-of-state licensed professional counselors to provide clinical counseling services via telehealth to students enrolled in Maryland's institutions of higher education. This initiative aims to enhance mental health support for students by allowing licensed professionals from other states to offer their services under specific conditions.

Counselors must have an established therapeutic relationship with a student for at least six months before providing services in Maryland. They are permitted to offer counseling for a maximum of five days in any one month or 15 days in a calendar year. Additionally, out-of-state counselors are required to notify the State Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists of their intention to provide services and must update the Board within 15 days of any changes to their information.

The legislation includes a provision that if the Counseling Compact Commission begins issuing compact privileges for licensed professional counselors in member states, this Act will be abrogated without further action from the General Assembly. The Act is set to take effect on October 1, 2025, and will remain in effect for three years, expiring on September 30, 2028, unless further action is taken.

Overall, this legislation is expected to impact the mental health counseling industry by increasing the availability of counseling resources for students, potentially leading to improved mental health outcomes in higher education settings.

FULL SUMMARY

The law authorizes Maryland’s State Board of Examiners for Audiologists, Hearing Aid Dispensers, Speech–Language Pathologists, and Music Therapists to issue a limited license to practice music therapy. It defines a limited license as a Board-issued license subject to the new statutory restrictions and provides that references to a music-therapy “license” generally include a limited license.

The Board must issue a limited license to an applicant who satisfies the regular music-therapy licensing requirements except for the examination, demonstrates that the applicant will practice only under supervision, submits the required application, and pays the application fee. The limited license permits practice only under the supervision of a fully licensed music therapist while the licensee completes the remaining licensing requirements.

A limited license expires one year after its effective date and may be renewed once for an additional one-year term if the holder continues to meet the requirements, submits a renewal application, and pays the renewal fee. If the holder does not obtain a full license within two years after the initial limited license was issued, the individual must wait at least one year before applying for another limited license. The changes take effect October 1, 2026.

Effective October 1, 2026, the State Board of Examiners for Audiologists, Hearing Aid Dispensers, Speech–Language Pathologists, and Music Therapists must issue a limited music therapy license to an applicant who meets all music therapy licensure requirements except the examination, demonstrates that the practice will occur under required supervision, submits the Board’s application, and pays the applicable fee. The limited license is intended to allow an individual to practice while completing full licensure requirements and authorizes practice only under the supervision of a fully licensed music therapist.

A limited license expires one year after issuance and may be renewed once for an additional one-year term if the holder continues to qualify, applies for renewal, and pays the renewal fee. A holder who does not obtain a full license within two years after the initial limited license was issued must wait at least one year before applying for another limited license. The measure also incorporates limited licenses into the subtitle’s general use of “license” and defines a limited license by reference to these restrictions.

FULL SUMMARY

The bill adds a prerelease mental-health discharge plan requirement for each incarcerated individual receiving mental-health services or prescription medication before parole release. The plan must include specified mental-health assessments using the PHQ-9, GAD-7, PHQ-2, and Opioid Risk Tool; transportation, housing, and family-stress risk factors; a culturally sensitive postrelease appointment; medication access between release and that appointment; Medicaid or Medicare eligibility information and enrollment assistance when eligible; goals addressing identified barriers; a transition care team; the individual’s input; and a parole-period communication plan. The Department of Corrections may consult the Department of Health and Human Services in developing plans.

The bill revises reception-center requirements to require that an incarcerated individual’s psychiatric examination be completed within seven days after arrival, include screening for a “significant diagnosis,” and be conducted in a culturally sensitive manner. It defines significant diagnosis to include post-traumatic prison disorder, anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, phobia, schizophrenia, substance abuse and addiction disorder, learning or educational disability, suicidal tendency, and other medically recognized mental or behavioral-health disorders. It also changes the HIV-related work restriction so that an incarcerated individual with a positive HIV test result may not work in a department-operated health facility.

Beginning six months after the examination required at reception, the department must screen each incarcerated individual for a significant diagnosis at least every six months during incarceration. When an examination or screening identifies such a diagnosis, the department must provide medically appropriate, culturally sensitive treatment and services tailored to the individual’s needs, potentially including therapeutic programs, counseling, learning programs, group therapy, and medication. Vendors may provide these services but must use experienced, culturally sensitive personnel with trauma-related expertise. By April 1, 2026, and annually thereafter, the department must report specified treatment, education-program, and unmet high-school-equivalency information to designated legislative committees. The bill also requires training for department employees and contractors on mental-health crises and trauma, de-escalation, retraumatization prevention, suicide recognition and prevention, the mental-health effects of staff interactions, and culturally sensitive interactions.

The document outlines amendments to Minnesota Statutes 2024, focusing on the integration of occupational therapy services within behavioral health and mental health treatment frameworks. Key changes include the eligibility of occupational therapy services for grants, which are now available to counties, Indian tribes, children's collaboratives, and mental health service providers. This expansion aims to enhance support for children with emotional disturbances and young adults under 21, thereby increasing the demand for licensed occupational therapists and assistants in these sectors.

Additionally, the amendments establish specific qualifications for providers, ensuring that only licensed professionals deliver occupational therapy services in behavioral health settings. The definition of treatment teams is broadened to include various mental health professionals, emphasizing a collaborative approach to care. This includes the provision of medically necessary occupational therapy services in both intensive residential treatment and crisis stabilization settings.

The amendments also address the requirements for Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) teams, detailing the roles and qualifications of various specialists, including co-occurring disorder specialists and vocational specialists. These changes are designed to improve the structure and effectiveness of community-based mental health treatment, ensuring that teams are adequately staffed and trained to meet the needs of clients.

Furthermore, the document highlights the requirements for day treatment programs and children's therapeutic services, which must be provided by accredited entities. These programs are essential for stabilizing mental health and improving socialization skills among children and adolescents. The amendments may lead to increased operational costs for providers due to the need for qualified staff and compliance with documentation standards.

Overall, the amendments aim to enhance the range of services available to children and young adults with mental health needs, ensuring that occupational therapy is recognized as a critical component of therapeutic support while also addressing the operational and staffing requirements for mental health service providers.

FULL SUMMARY

The bill changes prosecutor petitions for sentence adjustments by requiring the petition to state the number of identifiable victims, rather than disclose victims’ names or state that there were no identifiable victims. It also extends confidentiality protections for records involving specified sexual offenses to records that identify a minor victim in a violation of Minnesota Statutes section 617.246.

Prosecutors must make reasonable, good-faith efforts to notify victims of their right to attend the hearing at which a plea is presented and to express objections orally, in writing, or through the prosecutor. They must also notify victims of the automatic-expungement eligibility of any offense pleaded to or dismissed under a plea agreement. At the plea hearing, the court must ask whether the victim was notified of the plea recommendation and hearing and whether the victim wishes to state objections. At sentencing or disposition hearings, the court must similarly ask whether the victim was notified, whether the victim is present, and whether the victim wants to submit an impact statement orally, in writing, or through the prosecutor or the prosecutor’s designee; the designee must present the statement when requested.

The definition of “violent crime” used for victim-notification purposes is expanded to include stalking under section 609.749, subdivision 5. Within 15 working days after a conviction, acquittal, or dismissal, prosecutors must notify victims of automatic-expungement eligibility for any offense dismissed or resulting in conviction or acquittal. Prosecutors must also make reasonable, good-faith efforts to notify victims when a court considers modifying a sentence for a felony, a crime of violence, or an attempted crime of violence, including the review’s date and approximate time, location, contact information, and the victim’s right to provide input.

FULL SUMMARY

The bill adds music therapists to Minnesota’s criminal-history screening requirements for initial, temporary, relicensure-after-lapse, renewal, and related applications, while removing the existing January 1, 2018 and January 1, 2020 commencement-date language. The change is effective January 1, 2026. It establishes a new music-therapy licensing chapter, effective July 1, 2026, covering applicants, licensees, protected-title users, and persons representing themselves as licensed music therapists. The chapter defines music therapy and its interventions, excludes diagnosis and assessment of physical, mental, or communication disorders from the practice, and creates a permanent six-member Music Therapy Advisory Council with three licensed music therapists and three public members. The commissioner must make initial appointments by August 1, 2026 and convene the first meeting by September 1, 2026.

Beginning January 1, 2027, a person must hold a state license to practice music therapy or use titles such as “music therapist,” “licensed professional music therapist,” “LPMT,” or “board-certified music therapist” in a manner implying state licensure or qualifying certification. Exemptions cover other licensed professionals using music incidentally within their own practice without representing themselves as music therapists, federal employees acting in official duties, students, persons supervised by licensed professional music therapists, and nationally certified music-healing professionals who do not represent themselves as music therapists. General licensure requires age 18 or older, completion of an American Music Therapy Association-approved or accredited bachelor’s-level music-therapy program or equivalent, and passage of the Certification Board for Music Therapists examination or transition into board certification. The bill also provides temporary licensure for qualified graduates, certain applicants taking or retaking the certification examination, and applicants holding qualifying out-of-state credentials; temporary licenses expire after 12 months or upon a licensing decision and are not renewable. Licensure by reciprocity is available to applicants licensed in another jurisdiction with equivalent or higher qualifications, verified practice and disciplinary records, and a fingerprint-based background check.

Applicants must submit prescribed applications, certification documentation, fees, professional-record waivers, background checks, and other requested information; renewal occurs every two years and requires continuing board certification and 100 hours of continuing music-therapy education during each five-year cycle, including three ethics hours. Licensees must report changes in name, address, employment, or business contact information within 30 days. Practice standards require assessment, individualized treatment plans, ongoing evaluation and documentation, collaboration with clients, families, care teams, audiologists, and speech-language pathologists, and prohibit diagnosing or treating communication disorders or replacing services provided by those professionals. The commissioner may deny, condition, suspend, revoke, or refuse to renew licenses for specified misconduct and may impose civil penalties of up to $10,000 per violation. The bill authorizes licensing, renewal, verification, duplicate-license, late, and unauthorized-practice fees, but the listed dollar amounts and some penalty-fee periods remain blank in the text; fees are nonrefundable and deposited in the state special revenue fund.

FULL SUMMARY

The bill adds occupational therapy to Minnesota’s behavioral-health service framework. It authorizes children’s mental health grants to fund occupational therapy services for children with emotional disturbances and defines “occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant” and “occupational therapy services.” Covered services include behavioral-health-related screening, evaluation, intervention, and consultation addressing sensory, motor, emotional, cognitive, psychosocial, daily living, feeding and swallowing, play, educational, work, mobility, and health-and-wellness skills. Occupational therapists and assistants must be licensed under Minnesota law; occupational therapists must complete at least 480 supervised hours in a behavioral-health treatment setting, and assistants at least 320 hours. Assistants must work under an occupational therapist’s supervision, and both practitioners must remain within the statutory occupational-therapy scope of practice.

The bill permits occupational therapists and assistants to serve on intensive residential treatment, residential crisis stabilization, assertive community treatment, children’s therapeutic services and supports, and youth intensive nonresidential rehabilitation teams. It permits intensive residential treatment and residential crisis stabilization providers to offer medically necessary occupational therapy, allows adult day treatment providers to make skilled occupational therapy available, and permits psychiatric residential treatment facilities to offer it. Medical assistance coverage for children’s therapeutic services and supports is expanded to include medically necessary occupational therapy, including occupational-therapy-provided individual, family, or group skills training; the services must be identified in the child’s individual treatment plan. Related provider qualifications, group-staffing provisions, and service-delivery criteria are revised to recognize occupational therapists and assistants.

For youth intensive nonresidential rehabilitation services, occupational therapists and assistants may be included on the core treatment team, and the daily-rate service package may include medically necessary occupational therapy. The bill also adds occupational therapy staff to applicable treatment-team definitions and additional-staff options, while preserving the requirement that services be medically necessary and delivered by qualified personnel within their authorized scope.

FULL SUMMARY

The bill establishes a Minnesota music-therapy licensure system in new Minnesota Statutes, chapter 148G. Beginning January 1, 2026, practicing music therapy requires a state license, and titles including “music therapist,” “licensed professional music therapist,” “LPMT,” and “board-certified music therapist” may be used to indicate state licensure only by qualifying licensees. Exemptions cover professionals using music incidentally within another licensed practice, federal employees acting in official duties, students, supervised individuals, and certified music-healing professionals who do not represent themselves as music therapists. The bill also adds music therapists to specified state and national criminal-history checks for initial, temporary, relicensure, and renewal applications under section 144.0572, with the amended provision effective January 1, 2026.

The bill creates a six-member Music Therapy Advisory Council within the Department of Health, comprising three licensed music therapists and three public members, with duties involving licensure standards, applications, investigations, and disciplinary recommendations. The council is subject to chapter 214 and section 15.059 administration rules but does not expire; initial appointments are due by August 1, 2025, and the first meeting by September 1, 2025. General licensure requires age 18 or older, completion of an American Music Therapy Association-approved or accredited bachelor’s-level or higher music-therapy program, and passage of the Certification Board for Music Therapists examination or transition into board certification. Temporary licenses may be issued for up to 12 months to qualified applicants completing certification requirements or holding qualifying credentials from another jurisdiction, and reciprocity is available for applicants licensed in jurisdictions with equivalent or higher standards.

Applicants must submit prescribed applications, certification documentation, fees, professional-record waivers, fingerprints, and other requested information; licenses are renewed biennially and require continued board certification and 100 continuing-music-therapy-education hours per five-year cycle, including three ethics hours. Licensees must report changes in name, address, or employment within 30 days. Practice standards require client assessment, individualized treatment plans, ongoing evaluation and documentation, collaboration with relevant care teams, and coordination with audiologists or speech-language pathologists for communication-related services; music therapists may not diagnose disorders or perform speech-language pathology services unless separately authorized. The commissioner may deny, condition, suspend, revoke, or refuse renewal of licenses for specified misconduct and may impose civil penalties of up to $10,000 per violation. Commissioner-established licensing and penalty fees are authorized, but the bill leaves their amounts and certain penalty-fee periods as blanks; fees are nonrefundable and deposited in the state government special revenue fund. Most new chapter 148G provisions take effect July 1, 2025, while the practice prohibition and related background-check changes take effect January 1, 2026.

FULL SUMMARY

The bill establishes the North Carolina Board of Integrative Therapies within Chapter 90 and places art therapists and music therapists under a new state licensure framework. The seven-member Board comprises two art therapists, two music therapists, two physicians experienced in integrative therapies, and one public member. It may adopt rules, appoint advisory committees, issue and discipline licenses, investigate violations, conduct hearings, and set fees. Maximum fees are $300 for license issuance, $200 for application and examination, $350 for annual renewal, and $200 for late renewal; the program must be funded from fees and other non-State-Treasury sources. Violations generally result in a written warning for a first offense, a civil penalty of up to $200 for a second offense, and up to $200 per violation plus a Class 1 misdemeanor for a third or subsequent offense, with injunctions also authorized.

The bill creates separate three-member advisory committees for art therapy and music therapy, with two profession members and one public member, and assigns them responsibility for applicant qualifications, licensing and disciplinary recommendations, and maintaining licensee lists. Art-therapy licensure requires age 18 or older, good moral character, national certification from the Art Therapy Credentials Board or successor, and payment of applicable fees. Music-therapy licensure requires age 18 or older, good moral character, payment of fees, and either passage of the Certification Board for Music Therapists examination or qualifying transition to board certification while holding the MT-BC credential. Licenses renew annually, and the Board may grant reciprocity to applicants licensed or certified in another U.S. jurisdiction with substantially equivalent standards.

Compensation for art therapy or music therapy services is limited to individuals licensed under the new system, subject to specified exceptions for art-therapy students and certain supervised or otherwise regulated music-therapy activities. Unlicensed individuals may not use protected art-therapy or music-therapy titles or practice the respective profession; art-therapy businesses must display current licenses and advertising must identify licensed providers. Music therapists must coordinate with relevant health-care providers and education teams, may not replace audiology or speech-language pathology services, and—unless separately authorized—may not evaluate, instruct, counsel, or represent authority to treat speech, language, communication, or swallowing disorders. Initial Board appointments must be made by December 1, 2026, with terms beginning January 1, 2027. Most provisions take effect when the act becomes law; specified enforcement and practice restrictions take effect on the first day of a month beginning 180 days after certification that the Board has begun accepting license applications.

The document outlines significant amendments to regulations governing behavioral health and wellness practitioners in Nevada, aimed at establishing a comprehensive licensure and regulatory framework. These changes are designed to enhance the quality of services, ensure proper training, and expand access to mental health care, particularly through Medicaid coverage for licensed practitioners.

Key provisions include the establishment of licensure requirements overseen by the Board of Psychological Examiners, which will necessitate specific qualifications and background checks for applicants. The amendments also clarify the responsibilities of mental health professionals, emphasizing their duty to report threats and child abuse, as well as the importance of informed consent when using recordings for training purposes.

Additionally, the regulations address the practice of dietetics and wellness services, mandating that unlicensed individuals disclose their status and obtain client consent. The amendments reinforce standards of practice within the psychology profession, including requirements for continuing education and the handling of disciplinary actions against practitioners.

The document further emphasizes the confidentiality of communications between patients and behavioral health practitioners, ensuring that such communications are protected under privilege laws. It establishes mandatory reporting requirements for health care and social services professionals who suspect abuse or neglect of older or vulnerable persons, promoting swift investigations to protect affected individuals.

Overall, these amendments aim to strengthen the behavioral health system in Nevada, improve the reporting and handling of abuse cases, and enhance educational opportunities for health care providers, ultimately benefiting the healthcare and education sectors.

The legislative proposal aims to revise the governance and operational structures of various boards, commissions, and councils within the Office of Nevada Boards, Commissions, and Councils Standards. It seeks to consolidate and streamline the operations of professional and occupational licensing boards, enhancing efficiency and accountability. Key changes include the establishment of term limits for board members, standardization of compensation, and the appointment of executive directors by the Director of the Department of Business and Industry.

Significant eliminations of regulatory boards are proposed, with their responsibilities transferred to newly created entities, potentially reducing regulatory oversight in industries such as healthcare and design. Certain practices, like music therapy and homeopathic services, may be allowed to operate without a license. The bill mandates periodic reviews of all boards and commissions to assess their effectiveness, emphasizing stakeholder engagement and requiring entities to justify their continued existence.

Amendments also focus on enhancing family engagement and workforce development within educational commissions, aiming to improve educational outcomes and support services. The restructuring includes provisions for necessary administrative support and compensation for commission members. Additionally, new advisory committees and councils are being formed across various sectors, including education, healthcare, and environmental management, to address specific community needs and improve safety.

In the healthcare sector, new boards will be established for various professions, ensuring public representation and addressing the needs of military personnel regarding license expiration. The creation of the Beneficiary Advisory Council and Medicaid Advisory Committee aims to enhance Medicaid policy and services for welfare recipients. Changes in environmental governance include the establishment of the State Environmental Commission and the Emergency Medical Services Subcommittee.

Finally, amendments will enhance oversight and standards in behavioral health, barbering, medical laboratory services, and radiation therapy. A new Nevada Behavioral Wellness Alliance Board will oversee practices in the behavioral health sector, while the State Barbers’ Health and Sanitation Board will ensure health standards in barbering. Additionally, advisory subcommittees for medical laboratory services and radiation therapy will be formed to improve oversight and representation in these fields. Overall, the proposal represents a comprehensive effort to streamline operations, consolidate regulatory bodies, and enhance governance across multiple sectors in Nevada.

FULL SUMMARY

The bill creates a New York licensure framework for music therapy by adding Education Law article 163-A. It establishes two credentials: licensed professional music therapist (LPMT), whose evidence-based music interventions may not include screening, diagnosis, or assessment of physical, mental, or communication disorders; and licensed clinical music therapist (LCMT), who may also assess and treat mental, emotional, developmental, and behavioral disorders through music, including use of assessment instruments, mental-health counseling, and psychotherapy as approved by the Department of Education. Only persons licensed or exempt under the new article may practice the respective services, and only qualifying licensees may use the titles or designations “LPMT” and “LCMT.”

The bill establishes a state board of at least 12 members—five LPMTs, five LCMTs, and two public members—and sets licensure requirements. LPMT applicants generally must complete a department-approved or equivalent bachelor’s program in music therapy, 1,200 hours of supervised clinical training including specified pre-internship and internship minimums, a qualifying national board examination or transition credential, be at least 21, demonstrate good moral character, and pay $175 initially and $170 per triennial registration. LCMT applicants generally must hold a department-approved or equivalent master’s degree or higher in music therapy or a related field with specified coursework, complete 1,500 hours of post-master’s supervised experience, meet the examination, age, character, and fee requirements, and may receive credit for certain experience obtained under department waivers or in qualifying settings. The Department may issue an LCMT limited permit to an otherwise qualified applicant lacking only the examination requirement, subject to supervision, for up to 24 months with renewals totaling two additional years, for a $70 fee.

The article provides exemptions for specified health and behavioral professions, supervised students and trainees, clergy and pastoral counseling, educational or supportive activities, occupational therapy, and persons practicing another certified profession without using the protected music-therapy titles. It requires consultation with a physician for sustained treatment of specified serious mental illnesses; prohibits prescribing or administering drugs and invasive procedures; restricts music therapists from evaluating or counseling on speech, language, communication, or swallowing disorders unless authorized in speech-language pathology; and requires coordination with healthcare providers, education teams, and relevant communication specialists. Licensees must register triennially, maintain active national board certification, complete 36 acceptable continuing-competency hours per triennium—with at least 24 hours in music therapy and no more than 12 self-instructional hours—document compliance, and pay a $45 competency fee; conditional registration may last up to one year.

The bill provides transition pathways for current nationally board-certified music therapists, certain creative arts therapists with music-therapy degrees, and experienced music therapists meeting specified degree, employment, certification, and filing requirements. It also adds article 163-A to existing statutory references governing district-attorney services, education-law waivers, professional-practice exemptions, and professional titles. Professional service limited liability companies and registered or foreign limited liability partnerships providing music therapy must have members or partners licensed under article 163-A. The act takes effect 24 months after becoming law, while implementation rules may be adopted immediately.

FULL SUMMARY

The bill adds Education Law article 163-A to establish New York licensure for licensed professional music therapists (LPMTs) and licensed clinical music therapists (LCMTs). Professional music therapy covers clinical, evidence-based music interventions but excludes screening, diagnosis, and assessment of physical, mental, or communication disorders; clinical music therapy also includes department-approved assessment, counseling, psychotherapy, and treatment of mental, emotional, developmental, and behavioral disorders. Only licensed or exempt individuals may practice, and only appropriately licensed individuals may use the LPMT/LPMT and LCMT/LCMT titles and designations. A state board of at least 12 members—five LPMTs, five LCMTs, and two public members—would advise the Board of Regents and Education Department.

LPMT licensure would require a department application, a department-approved or equivalent bachelor’s degree in music therapy, at least 1,200 supervised clinical hours including specified pre-internship and internship minimums, a qualifying national board certification examination or transition credential, age 21, good moral character, and fees of $175 initially and $170 per triennial registration. LCMT licensure would require a department-approved or equivalent master’s degree or higher in music therapy or a related field, specified graduate coursework, at least 1,500 hours of post-master’s supervised experience, the same examination or credential requirement, age 21, good moral character, and the same fees. The Department could issue an LCMT limited permit for up to 24 months, renewable for two additional one-year periods, to applicants lacking only the examination requirement and working under general supervision, for a $70 fee.

The article exempts specified already licensed professionals and other authorized activities, including supervised students and interns, pastoral counseling, general instruction and support, occupational therapy, and services performed under other credentials, while reserving the protected music-therapy titles to article 163-A licensees. It requires medical evaluation and physician consultation before sustained mental-health services for serious mental illness; prohibits prescribing drugs and invasive procedures; limits communication-disorder services unless the therapist is authorized in speech-language pathology; and requires review of client or student treatment plans and collaboration with relevant care, educational, audiology, or speech-language professionals. Licensees must maintain national board certification, complete 36 hours of continuing competency activities per triennium—including at least 24 hours relevant to music therapy and no more than 12 self-instructional hours—maintain records, and pay a $45 competency fee; conditional registration may be granted for up to one year to cure deficiencies.

The bill creates transition pathways for active national board-certified music therapists, certain certified therapists with specified degrees and experience, and qualifying creative arts therapists, including clinical licensure without additional education, experience, or examination requirements in specified cases. It also adds article 163-A to statutory references governing district-attorney services, professional-practice waivers, and exemptions for other licensed professions, and authorizes professional service limited liability companies and registered or foreign limited liability partnerships providing music therapy to operate only with members or partners licensed under article 163-A. The act takes effect 24 months after becoming law, with implementation rules authorized immediately.

FULL SUMMARY

The bill adds a new Article 158 to New York’s Education Law establishing regulation of recreation therapy. It defines the profession as evaluation, planning, and delivery of recreation- and leisure-based treatment programs to restore or maintain clients’ physical, cognitive, social, emotional, and mental functioning. Treatment programs generally require approval or referral from a physician, nurse practitioner, or other authorized health care provider, while prevention, wellness, education, adaptive sports, recreation, and related services do not require a referral. Recreation therapists may not practice occupational therapy, medicine, psychology, or psychotherapy. Only individuals licensed under the article may practice or use the titles “licensed recreation therapist” or “therapeutic recreation specialist,” subject to specified student and other exemptions.

The bill establishes a state board composed of at least five licensed recreation therapists and one public member. Licensure would require an application, an approved degree or post-baccalaureate certificate, supervised field experience or work experience, an examination, age of at least 21, good moral character, and specified fees. The Department may issue one-year limited permits, renewable once, to applicants lacking examination and/or experience requirements, provided they practice under supervision. Existing practitioners must apply within one year after the profession’s effective date, with alternative-equivalency and certain national-certification pathways available.

Licensed recreation therapists must register every three years and complete at least 30 hours of approved continuing-competency learning per registration period, including at least 20 hours relevant to recreation therapy. Exceptions or adjustments apply to first-time licensees, individuals not practicing, military service, health conditions, and other acceptable good cause. Conditional registration may be issued for up to one year to licensees who make up deficiencies. Licensees must retain and provide documentation of coursework and pay a $45 continuing-competency fee in addition to the registration fee; failure to meet requirements or provide documentation may bar practice or constitute misconduct. The act takes effect 120 days after becoming law.

FULL SUMMARY

The bill renames the Chemical Dependency Professionals Board as the Behavioral Health Professionals Board and revises references throughout the Revised Code. It expands the board’s jurisdiction to include substance use disorder counseling, prevention services, peer support services, and services provided by qualified mental health assistants, qualified mental health specialists, and qualified mental health practitioners. It establishes new certification categories and eligibility standards for those mental-health support roles, including peer recovery, youth peer, and family peer supporter certificates; qualified mental health assistant, specialist, and practitioner certificates; and a peer support supervisor endorsement. The bill also defines permitted duties, supervision requirements, prohibited activities, examinations, continuing education, disciplinary authority, fees, ethical standards, and criminal-record-check requirements for these credentials, and repeals Section 4758.52.

The bill requires transition and implementation measures. The board must collaborate with the Department of Medicaid to evaluate and, where appropriate, certify existing Medicaid Qualified Mental Health Specialists and Qualified Mental Health Specialists +3, with those individuals then subject to the new professional standards but not the new eligibility conditions. Existing department-issued peer-support certificates may continue temporarily under board-determined conditions, generally no later than one year after the board’s initial rules take effect. The Governor may delay appointments to newly created board positions until certification begins, existing members may complete their terms, and a working group representing the board, behavioral-health and Medicaid agencies, the counselor board, and other interested parties must recommend and review initial rules for the qualified mental-health roles.

Separate provisions require health-care professional licensing boards to permit telehealth within each professional’s scope of practice, generally using a standard of care equal to in-person care. Boards may require an initial in-person visit before prescribing a Schedule II controlled substance to a new patient, but may not impose that requirement for hospice or palliative-care patients, medication-assisted-treatment or other opioid-use-disorder patients, patients with mental-health conditions, or clinical emergencies; medical marijuana is excluded from the Schedule II category for this purpose. Telehealth providers may not charge facility, origination, or provider-equipment fees to patients or specified health plans, must obtain one-time patient consent before billing for telehealth costs, and must securely transmit and store patient communications.

The bill also permits specified health-care professionals to count volunteer services to indigent and uninsured persons toward continuing-education requirements—generally up to one-third of the requirement at one credit hour per 60 minutes, with a separate medical-board limit of ten hours at one credit per five hours—and directs the relevant boards to adopt rules. It adds the renamed board to state administrative and antitrust-related provisions, extends common-sense-initiative review procedures to it, updates behavioral-health terminology and professional scopes, requires initial applicants for its credentials to satisfy criminal-record-check provisions, and makes conforming changes to behavioral-health treatment and involuntary-commitment statutes.

FULL SUMMARY

The bill changes Oklahoma medical licensure requirements effective November 1, 2026. It removes the photograph and general credentials-document requirements from physician applications, revises required licensure, disciplinary, educational, and employment-history information, permits the Board to accept a medical-school attendance disciplinary history, and removes the requirement that applicants present original credentials at a Board appearance. For international medical graduates, it replaces “foreign” terminology, clarifies degree and clerkship standards, requires annual renewal of limited licenses, permits a full license after three years of Oklahoma practice for qualifying licensees who remain in good standing and pass USMLE Steps 1, 2 CK, and 3, updates immigration and original-source-verification references, and makes related changes to training, English-language, translation, and eligibility requirements. The bill repeals the existing Section 493.2 after replacing its provisions and creates a separate special training license for postgraduate training, with Board-established practice restrictions, annual renewal by the Board Secretary, performance evaluation, no guarantee of future full licensure, and authority for employing institutions to impose additional limits. It also creates fee-free physician emeritus status for holders of full unrestricted licenses who retire and apply to the Board.

The bill revises emergency license-suspension procedures by requiring statutory notice compliance and prompt scheduling of a full Board hearing. It restructures the Athletic Trainers Advisory Committee to include three licensed athletic trainers, two licensed physicians, and no Oklahoma Coaches Association member, and limits its advisory role to applications and licensure rather than disciplinary matters. Athletic-trainer licensure pathways and application requirements are revised, renewal requires annual renewal by August 31 beginning January 1, 2027 and proof of current Board of Certification good standing, specified statutory fee amounts are removed, and the Board Secretary may issue a temporary license before the next Board meeting when licensure requirements have been verified. The bill authorizes national criminal-history checks for initial athletic-trainer applicants, requires fingerprints through OSBI, restricts use of results to applicant screening, and prohibits dissemination. It replaces the misdemeanor fine for violations with the Board’s enforcement authority, removes the five-year experience transitional licensure provision, and updates exemptions for out-of-state event participants, federal personnel, and other practitioners.

For other professions regulated by the Board, the bill removes the expiration condition tied to examination results for a therapeutic recreation temporary license; authorizes national criminal-history checks for initial occupational-therapist applicants, including compact applicants, with the same fingerprinting, use, retention, and nondissemination safeguards; and authorizes temporary music-therapy licensure under supervision until the next Board meeting. Respiratory-care licensure by endorsement is expanded to qualifying licensees from another state, territory, or country who meet equivalent qualifications and have not had specified discipline within the prior ten years, as well as holders of qualifying NBRC credentials or sworn statements of unsuspended credentials; respiratory care may also be practiced by telemedicine under physician direction and supervision. The bill removes the annual legislative reporting requirement for medical-malpractice claims while retaining claim reporting, disposition reporting, confidentiality, and enforcement provisions.

The 83rd Oregon Legislative Assembly has enacted provisions to regulate the practice of art therapy, establishing a framework for licensing art therapists within the health and mental health industries. The Health Licensing Office will issue licenses for provisional licensed art therapists, licensed art therapists, and licensed certified art therapists, ensuring that practitioners meet specific educational and ethical standards.

To obtain a license, applicants must be at least 18 years old, possess a master’s degree from an approved program, and demonstrate supervised practice. Provisional licensed art therapists can transition to full licensure after completing two years of supervised mental health practice. Licensed practitioners are required to adhere to rules set by the Health Licensing Office, which include compliance with ethical standards and professional conduct.

Additionally, the 2025 Act modifies the Oregon medical assistance program to include reimbursement for behavioral health services provided by licensed art therapists. This change is expected to enhance access to art therapy services within the behavioral health industry.

The implementation of these changes is set to occur in stages, with specific sections of the Act becoming operative on designated dates. The inclusion of art therapists in the reimbursement framework may have financial implications for both service providers and the state’s medical assistance budget, although specific monetary impacts are not detailed. Overall, these developments aim to professionalize art therapy and expand its availability to those in need of behavioral health services.

The bill establishes the Music Therapy Practice Act and defines “music therapist” as an individual holding a valid credential from the Certification Board for Music Therapists or a successor organization. It defines music therapy as the clinical, evidence-based use of music interventions through a therapeutic relationship to achieve personalized goals across developmental, rehabilitative, medical, mental-health, preventive, or educational settings.

Unless an exception applies, an individual who is not a certified music therapist may not hold themselves out as a music therapist or as certified by the Certification Board for Music Therapists, or use “MT-BC” or other words, letters, abbreviations, or insignia that indicate or imply music-therapist status. The restriction does not prevent individuals from using music in their profession or occupation if they do not engage in those prohibited forms of representation.

A reckless, knowing, or intentional violation is a third-degree misdemeanor. Any violation is also designated an unfair or deceptive act or practice under Pennsylvania’s Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law. The act takes effect 60 days after enactment.

The document outlines significant amendments to the regulations governing music therapy practice in Pennsylvania. A new licensing framework has been established for professional music therapists, requiring applicants to meet specific educational and clinical training standards, pass a certification examination, and maintain active certification. This framework aims to ensure that only qualified individuals can practice music therapy, thereby enhancing the profession's credibility and standards.

A State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists, Professional Counselors, and Professional Music Therapists has been created to oversee the licensing process and ensure compliance with the new regulations. This board will consist of 15 members, including licensed professionals from each relevant field, and will set operating procedures for the profession.

The amendments are expected to have a significant impact on the healthcare and mental health industries, particularly in therapeutic services. By recognizing music therapy as a distinct profession, there may be an increased demand for licensed music therapists in various settings, such as hospitals, schools, and private practices.

Additionally, the regulations stipulate that licensed professional music therapists must collaborate with healthcare providers and treatment teams in their practice. They are also restricted from using certain titles unless they are licensed under the new act, which aims to protect the integrity of the profession.

Overall, these changes are designed to enhance the regulation and professional standards of music therapy in Pennsylvania, ensuring public safety and welfare in therapeutic services while potentially affecting operational practices and compliance costs for professionals in related fields.

FULL SUMMARY

The bill establishes Pennsylvania licensure for professional art therapists and licensed associate art therapists under the State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists, Professional Counselors and Professional Art Therapists. It adds definitions for art therapy, art therapy services, professional art therapy practice, professional art therapy assessment, qualified supervisors, and related credentials. Professional art therapists may independently diagnose and treat mental disorders within the scope designated by board regulation; associate art therapists may provide services only under an approved supervision plan and may not practice autonomously.

Professional art therapist licensure generally requires age 21 or older, good moral character, specified master’s- or doctoral-level education, supervised clinical experience, an approved national examination, fees, and compliance with criminal-conviction requirements. Master’s-level applicants must complete at least 3,000 supervised clinical hours over at least two years, with at least half involving direct client contact and demonstrated diagnosis or treatment experience; doctoral-level applicants must complete at least 2,400 hours, including 1,200 after the doctorate. A professional license is valid for two years and requires continuing education, including ethics, child-abuse reporting, and suicide-prevention training. Associate applicants must meet education and practicum or internship requirements, submit a supervisor recommendation and training plan, and receive direct supervision; their licenses last five years, require at least one hour of face-to-face supervision per 10 hours of client practice and at least two supervision hours monthly, and may receive one nonrenewable two-year extension.

The bill creates transition routes without examination for qualifying practitioners who apply within two years after the relevant provision’s effective date, have at least five years of prior practice, meet specified education and national credential requirements, and satisfy other conditions. It authorizes endorsement for out-of-state professional art therapists who meet education, at least 3,000 supervised clinical hours, good standing, and five-of-the-last-seven-years practice requirements, and extends reciprocal and emergency-practice provisions to professional art therapists. It restricts independent practice and use of professional art therapist titles and the designation “L.P.A.T.” to appropriately licensed individuals, with exceptions for certain Commonwealth employees, certified art therapists, supervised practitioners, and students. The board is expanded from 13 to 15 members by adding two licensed professional art therapists; unlawful practice is subject to the existing civil penalty of up to $10,000. The Governor must nominate the two art-therapist members within 60 days, and the board must promulgate implementing regulations within 18 months. The licensing and title-related provisions take effect in 24 months; the remainder takes effect in 60 days.

The document outlines significant amendments to the licensure requirements for social workers, marriage and family therapists, professional counselors, and music therapists in Pennsylvania. A key focus of these amendments is the introduction of regulations for the practice of music therapy, which includes establishing licensing requirements for professional music therapists to ensure that only qualified individuals provide these services.

To obtain a license as a professional music therapist, applicants must demonstrate good moral character, complete education and clinical training as defined by the American Music Therapy Association, and pass a certification examination. Additionally, individuals with felony convictions related to controlled substances may be eligible for licensure after a specified period, provided they meet certain rehabilitation criteria.

The amendments also stipulate that licensed music therapists must collaborate with healthcare providers and educational teams before delivering services, ensuring that they do not replace the roles of audiologists or speech-language pathologists. Furthermore, the board will maintain a public record of licensed professionals, enhancing transparency within the profession.

Overall, these changes aim to elevate the standards of practice within the mental health and music therapy fields, ensuring that practitioners are adequately trained and certified, which is expected to improve the quality of care provided to clients.

The act removes the professional music therapy advisory committee of the Board of Examiners in Psychology from the entity listed in Tennessee Code Annotated § 4-29-246(a)(34). It adds the committee, created under § 63-11-601, as a new subdivision in § 4-29-248. The act takes effect upon becoming law.

The resolution commemorates the week of March 2, 2025, as “Tennessee Music Therapy Week.” It recognizes music therapy as a clinical, evidence-based practice delivered by credentialed professionals and acknowledges its applications for people of all ages and with diverse health, developmental, and disability-related needs. The resolution also notes Tennessee’s 173 board-certified music therapists, relevant degree programs, and the state’s 2024 creation of a music therapy certificate and Professional Music Therapy Advisory Committee.

The bill removes subdivision (34) from Tennessee Code Annotated § 4-29-246(a). It adds the professional music therapy advisory committee of the board of examiners in psychology, created by § 63-11-601, to the list in § 4-29-248. The act takes effect upon becoming law.

The document establishes a licensing and regulatory framework for music therapists in Texas, aimed at enhancing professional standards and accountability within the health and wellness industry. The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation will oversee the licensing process, requiring music therapists to hold a relevant degree, complete clinical training, and pass a certification examination. Additionally, they must adhere to professional standards set by the certifying entity.

Music therapists are required to collaborate with other licensed professionals, such as physicians and speech-language pathologists, when providing services to clients with specific needs, particularly those related to communication disorders. However, they are prohibited from evaluating or treating speech, language, communication, or swallowing disorders unless they hold a license in speech-language pathology. Misrepresentation of qualifications to the public is also not allowed.

The document outlines the establishment of an advisory board to support the regulatory framework, with members appointed by the Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation. This board will play a crucial role in guiding the implementation of the new licensing requirements and ensuring compliance with professional standards.

Overall, these changes are expected to significantly impact the music therapy industry in Texas by creating a structured regulatory environment that influences operational practices and compliance for music therapists. The framework aims to promote higher standards of care and professionalism in the delivery of music therapy services.

FULL SUMMARY

The bill repeals Utah’s statutory licensing and regulatory schemes for deception detection (Title 58, Chapter 64), music therapy (Title 58, Chapter 84), and commercial interior design (Title 58, Chapter 86), including their licensure or certification requirements, qualifications, renewals, exemptions, disciplinary provisions, unlawful-conduct provisions, penalties, and related administrative provisions. It also removes references to deception-detection licensure from the criminal-background-check requirements and removes commercial interior designers and commercial interior design services from procurement-law definitions of “design professional” and “design professional services.”

The bill makes technical changes to Utah’s procurement definitions. It clarifies that an “award” is a procurement unit’s selection of a vendor after a standard process or authorized exception; specifies that a conducting procurement unit reviews the solicitation itself; and revises “construction subcontractor” to cover persons contracted to provide design or construction services or labor while expressly excluding suppliers providing only materials, equipment, or supplies. It revises “immaterial error,” including examples such as missing signatures or licenses, typographical errors, solicitation errors, and other errors reasonably deemed immaterial. It also clarifies definitions for invitations for bids, issuing procurement units, rules, services, sole-source procurement, subcontractors, transitional costs, and vendors; among other changes, services exclude work performed under an employment or collective-bargaining agreement, and transitional costs exclude procurement-preparation and contract negotiation or drafting costs.

The bill takes effect May 6, 2026.

FULL SUMMARY

The bill revises Washington’s 2025-2027 operating budget and related statutes, making appropriations and transfers across general government, human services, natural resources, transportation, education, higher education, debt service, and special accounts. It reallocates funding among agencies and programs, including substantial increases for Medicaid and behavioral health, early learning and child care, special education, homelessness and housing, wildfire response, opioid-use-disorder treatment, election security, and state information-technology systems. It also provides targeted funding for settlements, legal claims, collective bargaining agreements, emergency response, higher-education affordability, and new or expanded programs.

Major program changes include continued and expanded services for Medicaid-ineligible immigrants, with enrollment increases scheduled in 2027 and a transition of that coverage from managed care to fee-for-service; expanded Medicaid and state-funded behavioral-health, housing, prerelease, crisis-response, opioid-treatment, and community-care services; and new reporting, data-sharing, notification, and oversight duties for health, human-services, corrections, and child-welfare agencies. The bill funds additional early-learning and child-care slots, raises specified child-care subsidy and provider rates, expands special-education safety-net funding, establishes public-facing early-learning/K-12 dashboards, and supports college affordability and state financial-aid programs. Juvenile rehabilitation and corrections provisions add capacity needs forecasting, classification and infraction oversight, reentry services, facility openings, restrictive-housing reduction measures, and opioid-treatment funding.

The bill strengthens governance of major state technology projects by requiring staged funding, agency technology budgets and charters, independent quality assurance for qualifying projects, agile development and usable production functionality within 180 days after specified procurements, dashboard reporting, state staffing for critical functions, and authority for Washington Technology Solutions to suspend or terminate underperforming projects. Statutory changes also authorize or permit biennium-specific transfers from numerous dedicated accounts to the general fund or other accounts; allow temporary use of certain account balances for operating costs; modify distributions from capital-gains tax revenues, cannabis revenues, and other state accounts; delay the assisted-living rate rebase from July 1, 2026, to July 1, 2027; expand allowable uses of several accounts; and require specified licensing and regulatory fees or fee studies. New appropriations include reimbursements for named self-defense acquittal claims, a Yakima County criminal-justice allocation, higher-education operating-fee transfers, liability and self-insurance accounts, and other billing-authority adjustments. The act declares an emergency and takes effect immediately.

Beginning January 1, 2028, applicants for a Washington music therapy license may provide music therapy under the supervision of a licensed music therapist for up to six months from the start of practice. The exemption applies only if the applicant satisfies all licensure requirements under RCW 18.233.030 except that the Department has not yet verified the required examination results.

The bill also removes an obsolete parenthetical citation from the existing licensing provision. The act takes effect January 1, 2028.

FULL SUMMARY

The measure establishes Washington’s supplemental operating budget for fiscal years 2026 and 2027, effective April 1, 2026, revising appropriations, allotments, fund transfers, caseload assumptions, and program provisos across state government. It increases or reallocates funding for human services, behavioral health and competency services, Medicaid, child care and early learning, public schools and special education, higher education, wildfire response, climate and environmental programs, elections, transportation, corrections, and state agency information technology. It also authorizes transfers among numerous dedicated accounts and the general fund, creates appropriations for wildfire response and forest restoration, higher-education operating-fee support, public-bank planning, and specified criminal-justice costs, and appropriates individual claims for self-defense acquittals and wrongful conviction compensation.

Major program changes include expanded or continued state-funded health coverage and related services for certain adults and developmental-disability and long-term-care clients who are ineligible for federal Medicaid because of immigration status; increased Medicaid, behavioral-health, opioid-treatment, crisis-response, housing, reentry, and community-care funding; new reporting and oversight for behavioral-health capacity, hospital performance, Medicaid enrollment integrity, and major electronic-health-record projects; and additional funding for doulas, community health workers, tribal health programs, suicide prevention, abortion care, and long-term-care and developmental-disability providers. The bill increases child-care subsidy base rates to the 85th percentile of the 2024 market-rate survey beginning July 1, 2026, funds provider compensation and rate enhancements, expands early-intervention and ECEAP support, and revises school funding for general apportionment, special education safety-net awards, transportation, student meals, and college affordability.

The measure also modifies environmental and natural-resource funding for climate resilience, clean-energy permitting, water quality, wildfire mitigation, invasive species, salmon and orca recovery, and agricultural programs; changes health-profession licensing-fee authority and certain shellfish licensing fees; delays the scheduled assisted-living rate rebasing until July 1, 2027; permits certain transfers from dedicated accounts during the 2025-2027 biennium; and changes retirement contribution treatment for specified plan-one benefit costs. It creates a joint legislative-executive committee on budget transparency and fiscal sustainability, requires a two-phase external review of revenue, spending, administrative overhead, performance management, and public reporting, and directs multiple studies and reports. The governor partially vetoed specified appropriations and provisos, including provisions concerning the talking-book library, retail-crime prevention, clean-energy permitting priority, expanded IT-dashboard requirements, DSHS restructuring, residential-habilitation-center dental services, the 988 technology platform, certain Medicaid and health-records requirements, early-learning dashboards, climate-resilience coordination, and several provisions tied to legislation that did not pass; those vetoed provisions are not operative.

The proposed legislation introduces comprehensive changes to the regulation of music therapy in Wisconsin, establishing a new licensing framework and oversight mechanisms. It replaces the existing music therapist registration credential with a music therapist license, requiring individuals to hold a bachelor's degree or higher in music therapy and current board certification from the Certification Board for Music Therapists.

A Music Therapy Examining Board will be created within the Department of Safety and Professional Services, consisting of three members: two licensed music therapists and one public member. This board will oversee the licensing process, ensuring that only qualified individuals can practice music therapy and that they adhere to established practice standards.

The legislation defines the scope of music therapy practice, emphasizing collaboration with other healthcare professionals while explicitly excluding the diagnosis of disorders. It also outlines the licensure process, including requirements for renewal and maintenance of licenses, ensuring that music therapists remain current in their qualifications.

Additionally, the changes aim to enhance professional standards within the music therapy field, impacting related sectors such as mental health and substance abuse prevention. The new regulations are expected to establish a formal framework for the practice of music therapy, promoting accountability and quality in therapeutic services.

The proposed legislation introduces comprehensive changes to the regulation of music therapy in Wisconsin, establishing a new licensing framework and creating a Music Therapy Examining Board. This board will consist of three members, including two licensed music therapists and one public member, appointed for staggered terms. The legislation repeals the existing music therapist registration credential and requires individuals to obtain a music therapist license, which necessitates proof of board certification and a relevant degree.

The new regulations define the practice of music therapy and prohibit individuals from using music therapist titles without a valid license. Music therapists will be required to collaborate with other healthcare providers and educational teams, ensuring that their services do not overlap with those of audiologists or speech-language pathologists. The legislation also eliminates the option for music therapists to obtain a separate psychotherapy license, as psychotherapy is not included in the defined scope of practice.

These changes are expected to significantly impact the music therapy industry, including practitioners and educational institutions offering music therapy programs. The establishment of formal licensure and practice standards aims to enhance the professionalism and accountability of music therapists, ultimately benefiting clients and the broader healthcare sector.

FULL SUMMARY

The regulation revises Delaware requirements for professional counselors of mental health, chemical dependency professionals, and marriage and family therapists. It clarifies education documentation, supervised-experience requirements, reciprocity applications, supervisor qualifications, and required Board forms; updates the Board’s name throughout; and incorporates the American Counseling Association Code of Ethics for LPCMHs and LACMHs. For LPCMH applicants, the rules specify 3,200 hours over two to four consecutive years, including 1,600 hours of direct supervised experience, with defined face-to-face counseling, individual-session, and supervision-hour requirements. Supervisors generally must have at least two years of post-licensure practice, may supervise no more than 10 unlicensed or associate licensees, and must use specified verification forms; prior continuing-education requirements for supervisors were removed. Reciprocity applicants must demonstrate substantial similarity using the licensing state’s laws and rules, while the former notarized statement and release concerning all prior licensing jurisdictions were removed.

For LCDP applicants, the regulation similarly restructures the 3,200-hour experience requirement, requiring 1,600 hours of direct supervision, including specified individual, group, couple, or family counseling and at least 100 hours of face-to-face supervision. It permits certain non-LCDP supervisors only upon Board approval and documented clinical justification, limits group supervision to six supervisees and 40 qualifying hours, and requires direct-supervision and counseling-experience verification forms. The regulation removes several prior alternative-supervisor attestations, including the five-year licensure and ethics-related attestations, and provides that an applicant licensed in multiple states may qualify for reciprocity if the requirements of one state are substantially similar; otherwise, five years of good-standing licensure plus qualifying certification may suffice. LMFT reciprocity rules likewise remove the prior-jurisdiction statement and release requirement, and an applicant from a state with dissimilar standards may qualify after five years in good standing and passage of the AMFTRB examination. The minimum good-standing licensure period for certain out-of-state LMFT supervisors is reduced from five years to two years.

The telehealth provisions are renumbered and recast to apply to “providers,” clarify that Delaware authorization does not authorize services to clients domiciled elsewhere, and require compliance with the laws and policies of other jurisdictions. They retain requirements concerning competence, case-specific risk-benefit analysis, identity verification, emergency arrangements, secure communications, informed consent, and electronic-record disposal, while removing the separate statement that telehealth providers must hold a current Board license. The voluntary treatment provisions are revised for gender-neutral terminology and clarify reporting anonymity and confidentiality, including that completed participation remains confidential unless another Board’s rules permit disclosure and the written agreement identifies potential disclosures. The order takes effect 10 days after publication in the Register of Regulations.

The Maryland Secretary of Health withdraws the proposal published on May 1, 2026, concerning regulations governing audiologists, hearing aid dispensers, speech-language pathologists, and music therapists. The withdrawn proposal would have modified ethics, licensure and continuing education, music therapy, cerumen management, hearing aid dispensing, speech-language and audiology assistants, and student supervision provisions under COMAR Title 10, Subtitle 41. It included proposed new regulations, repeals, and recodifications, but those proposed changes will not proceed under this notice.

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The Tennessee Board of Occupational Therapy revises Chapter 1150-02 governing occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants, with changes effective June 21, 2026, following a rulemaking hearing held April 24, 2025. The rules update definitions and statutory references; require licensure for OT/OTA program directors, core faculty, and academic fieldwork coordinators; establish procedures for internationally educated applicants; authorize licensure by endorsement for applicants licensed in another U.S. jurisdiction whose qualifications meet or exceed Tennessee requirements; and revise physical-agent-modality certification procedures. The Board also adopts the December 2020 AOTA Occupational Therapy Code of Ethics, the July 2022 NBCOT Candidate/Certificant Code of Conduct, the CDC standard-precautions guidance, and the September 2020 AOTA supervision guidelines, subject to Tennessee law and Board rules.

Supervision requirements are revised to permit OTAs to adapt activities, media, and environments under an occupational therapist’s supervision; require documentation of each supervisory visit and a continued-supervision plan, with a Board form available for use; and require at least eight hours of direct licensed-OT supervision each week when an entry-level OTD student’s experiential component involves clinical practice or OT/OTA education. Supervision of unlicensed personnel must include daily direct contact, personal instruction, observation, evaluation, and defined delegated tasks. Limited permits may cover applicants who have completed the OTD experiential component, but permit holders must practice under supervision, take the examination within 90 days, and cease practice immediately upon failing; an applicant who previously failed the examination once in any state is ineligible. Active licensees may convert to inactive or retired status, while the prior inactive-status reactivation provision is removed.

Continued-competence requirements are organized around 24 credits during the 24 months preceding renewal, with up to four excess credits carryable to the next period, revised credit equivalencies and provider categories, and mandatory timely submission of completion proof through the Board’s tracking system. Independent study earns one credit per two hours, and synchronous online learning earns one credit per hour, with a maximum of 16 credits; licensees whose licenses have been expired or retired for more than three years must document the preceding two-year period and may be required to complete additional education, supervised practice, or examinations. Fee changes set the application fee at $100 for OTs and $100 for OTAs, the late-renewal fee at $30 for both, and biennial renewal fees at $135 for OTs and $115 for OTAs.

Dry-needling provisions require an occupational therapist to obtain Board certification, complete the specified 50 hours of foundational instruction and 24 hours of upper-limb dry-needling instruction in person, and obtain Board or delegated approval of qualifying courses; newly licensed OTs generally may not perform the procedure for one year unless the requirements were met through pre-licensure education. Dry needling may not be delegated to an OTA or support personnel, and patients must receive information on its definition, risks, benefits, and potential side effects. A new Rule 1150-02-.22 incorporates the Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact: practice occurs where the patient is located, compact-privilege holders must comply with the remote state’s laws, and conflicting member-state laws are superseded to the extent of the conflict.

Effective June 26, 2026, the regulation updates the incorporated federal references in 77 Ill. Adm. Code 280.1010, including the specified editions or dates for 42 CFR 2.52, 21 CFR 178.1010, and 42 CFR 418. It also adds the Essential Support Person Act and the Essential Support Person Code to the authorities and rules referenced in Part 280.

New Section 280.4035 requires every hospice residence to comply with the Essential Support Person Act and the Essential Support Person Code. The rulemaking is intended to clarify hospice-residence obligations under those authorities.

FULL SUMMARY

The proposed regulation establishes additional documentation requirements for applicants seeking “equivalent credit” toward Nevada’s music therapy licensure requirements under NRS 622.087. An applicant must submit (1) a transcript or other documentation showing the courses completed as part of the training program and (2) a copy of the certificate issued upon completion of that training program, as part of the license application.

It also revises procedures in NAC 640D.200 and NAC 640D.210 for handling complaints that a person is practicing music therapy without a license. Upon receiving such a complaint, the Executive Officer must first investigate the complaint rather than immediately sending a certified letter directing a cease-and-desist and requiring a license application within 10 days. A person being investigated must cooperate fully, including participating in requested interviews, allowing onsite inspections of locations where the alleged unlicensed practice is occurring, and providing requested documentation (including evidence that the person is not engaged in unlicensed music therapy if applicable).

If, after the investigation, the Executive Officer determines the person is practicing without a license, the Executive Officer must direct the person to cease and desist and must notify the person that a license application must be submitted to the Executive Officer within 10 days. The matter is then referred to the Office of the Attorney General and the district attorney of the county of the alleged violation for investigation and possible prosecution if the person either (a) fails to submit the required application within that 10-day window or (b) fails to cooperate fully with the investigation. A person who submits the required application may not engage in music therapy services until the Board issues a license, and if the application is denied, the person may not reapply for 2 years.

In addition, the regulation revises how complaints are forwarded for investigation by the Certification Board for Music Therapists (or its successor organization). The Executive Officer must forward each complaint to the Certification Board (or successor) except that, to the extent money is available, the Executive Officer may first examine the complaint to determine whether good cause exists to conduct an investigation; if good cause is found, the Executive Officer either forwards the complaint to request a written report or commences an investigation (depending on available funds). If the Executive Officer conducts an investigation and finds credible evidence supporting the complaint, the Executive Officer may forward the complaint, collected information, and investigation findings to the Certification Board (or successor). The failure of a licensee to cooperate with an investigation remains grounds for disciplinary action.

FULL SUMMARY

The proposed rules establish a new Michigan regulatory framework for licensing psychiatric hospitals and units, replacing the existing 2025-32 LR rule set. They establish requirements for applications, renewals, inspections, ownership changes, bed capacity, governance, financial review, policies, staffing, credentialing, patient and administrative records, ancillary services, recipient rights, complaints, investigations, hearings, and facility construction and operations. Initial licensure applications must include the department’s current form and applicable fees, certificate-of-need approval, and occupancy documentation; the department must inspect within 3 months after finding an application complete and again within 6 months after issuing an initial license. Annual renewal is electronic and due before August 1, and ownership transfers or relocations require prior department approval.

Hospitals must maintain infection-prevention and control programs, communicable-disease screening and immunization procedures, annual personnel training, all-hazard emergency-preparedness programs, risk assessments, response and communication plans, and at least two emergency exercises each year, with related records retained for 4 years. The rules also require quality-assessment and performance-improvement programs, medical audits and utilization reviews, documented staffing and nursing coverage, coordinated patient service plans, discharge and transfer planning, accessible communication support provided free of charge, and reporting of deaths occurring at the hospital or within 48 hours after discharge or transfer. Relocation or closure requires at least 30 days’ advance written notice, department approval of a plan, and arrangements for staffing, records, medications, patient belongings, and patient placement.

The rules adopt specified 2022 Facility Guidelines Institute standards and ASHRAE Standard 170-2021 for construction, renovation, conversion, ventilation, and continued operations; construction or renovation may not begin until department-approved plans and a permit are issued. Existing licensed hospitals may continue operating despite noncompliance if patient safety is protected and the facility neither expands nor exceeds its existing services, unless the department determines the use is hazardous. Additional environmental requirements address patient-room design, lighting, water management under ASHRAE Standard 188-2018, waste and sewage, sanitation, and integrated pest management. The public hearing is scheduled for August 4, 2026, at 10:30 a.m.; written or emailed comments may be submitted through August 5, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. The rules are to take effect 60 days after filing with the Secretary of State.

FULL SUMMARY

The document contains a preproposal statement of inquiry by Washington State Department of Health regarding the possible creation of a new licensing rule chapter for music therapists under Title 246 WAC. It indicates the department is considering establishing licensing regulations and associated fees, potentially also addressing any needs for an advisory committee.

The statement identifies statutory authority (RCW 18.233.060, RCW 18.233.070, RCW 43.70.250, and chapter 18.233 RCW) and explains that SHB 1247 (chapter 175, Laws of 2023), codified as chapter 18.233 RCW, directs the department to adopt rules implementing a music therapist licensure program that must be in place by January 1, 2025. It specifies that the future rules are expected to include (1) education, training, and examination requirements for initial licensure; (2) continuing education requirements; (3) fees for licensing, examination, and renewal; and (4) other qualifications determined by the secretary.

The document describes the rule development process as collaborative and provides contact details for participation before publication of a proposed rule (including an identified individual, mailing address, phone/fax/TTY, and an email address). It also states that the department will use existing GovDelivery lists and known contact information to inform interested parties and provides subscription directions, including guidance to locate the “Music Therapists” topic under the “Health Professions” category.

The document contains an agency regulatory agenda entry stating that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation will develop rules to implement the Music Therapy Licensing and Practice Act. It explains that PA 102-882 (signed May 13, 2022) authorizes the Department to license and regulate the profession of music therapists, and that the division is currently drafting implementing rules.

No rule text is promulgated and no specific regulatory requirements are imposed in this document. The agenda entry provides a rulemaking schedule status: no meetings or hearings have been scheduled, and the Department anticipates issuing the first notice in March 2023.

It identifies the statutory authority for the anticipated rulemaking as the Music Therapy Licensing and Practice Act (225 ILCS 56). It also notes that newly licensed music therapists would be affected. No related rulemakings or other pertinent information are listed.

The proposed rules under the Music Therapy Licensing and Practice Act aim to establish music therapists as a newly-licensed profession in Illinois. These rules introduce comprehensive procedures for licensure, including requirements for initial applications, license renewals, continuing education, and recordkeeping. The act outlines the necessary qualifications for applicants, such as holding a baccalaureate degree in music therapy or an equivalent program, and mandates the completion of the Music Therapy Board Certification Examination.

The act emphasizes the importance of standardized educational requirements, requiring programs to be regionally accredited and to cover essential music therapy principles and clinical foundations. Additionally, licensed music therapists will be required to complete 40 hours of continuing education every two years, with specific training on Alzheimer's disease and other dementias for those working with adult populations, starting in 2026.

The rules also detail the process for restoring licenses that have been revoked or suspended, including the evaluation of rehabilitation efforts and compliance with previous conditions. Various fees associated with licensing actions, such as applications and renewals, are established to support the regulatory framework.

Overall, the implementation of these rules is expected to enhance the quality of care provided by licensed music therapists in Illinois, while also potentially increasing economic activity within the health care sector. The act aims to create a structured and professional environment for music therapy practice, ensuring that practitioners meet established educational and ethical standards.

The agenda identifies planned updates to 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1316, governing the Music Therapy Licensing and Practice Act, concerning requirements for applications for licensure. The Department of Financial and Professional Regulation anticipates issuing First Notice in July 2026; no hearing or meeting has been scheduled. Licensees under the Act could be affected. The rulemaking is authorized by the Music Therapy Licensing and Practice Act (225 ILCS 56).

The proposed regulation for music therapy practice in Virginia aims to establish licensure requirements for music therapists, following a legislative mandate from the 2020 Acts of Assembly. This regulation will require individuals to obtain a Music Therapist-Board Certification (MT-BC) credential, which involves completing an accredited music therapy program and passing a national examination. The fee structure for licensure includes an initial application fee of $100 and annual renewal fees ranging from $30 to $55, along with various other fees for reinstatement and documentation.

The regulation is expected to encourage educational institutions to expand their music therapy programs, as currently only two universities in Virginia offer accredited training. It may also create a competitive job market for licensed music therapists, potentially increasing their compensation and job opportunities. However, individuals who practiced music therapy without a license prior to 2020 may face challenges in continuing their practice unless they obtain the new license or qualify for specific exceptions.

The proposed regulations emphasize the protection of public health, safety, and welfare by establishing standards of practice for licensed music therapists. Key provisions include maintaining client confidentiality, ensuring informed consent, and avoiding dual relationships that could impair professional judgment. Additionally, licensed music therapists will be required to complete continuing education requirements for license renewal.

The economic impact analysis indicates that the regulation may adversely affect small businesses in the music therapy sector, as compliance with the new standards may lead to increased costs for practitioners. Overall, the changes are set to take effect on November 17, 2024, and are expected to significantly impact the music therapy industry by establishing stricter ethical and professional standards.

The document outlines the establishment of regulations for the practice of music therapy in Virginia, which will require music therapists to obtain licensure. This regulatory framework aims to enhance the standards of practice within the healthcare and therapeutic services industry, specifically for those providing music therapy services.

Applicants for licensure must complete a detailed application process, which includes submitting verification of any existing mental health or health professional licenses and a report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services National Practitioner Data Bank. All fees associated with the application and renewal process are nonrefundable, which may have financial implications for applicants.

Licensed music therapists are required to renew their licenses annually by June 30, which involves submitting a renewal form and paying the renewal fee. Additionally, they must complete a minimum of 20 hours of continuing education each year, including specific training in ethics and standards of practice, which could increase operational costs for music therapy practices.

The regulations also stipulate that individuals whose licenses have been suspended or revoked must go through a reinstatement process, which includes submitting a new application and paying a reinstatement fee. These changes are set to take effect on December 1, 2025, and are expected to impact the music therapy industry in Virginia by necessitating compliance with new standards.

The proposed rule amends OAR 331-385-0010(1) by removing licensed certified art therapists from the requirement to complete a minimum of 8 continuing-education hours per authorization year. The 8-hour requirement would apply only to licensed art therapists; licensed certified art therapists remain subject to the separate 12-hour requirement in subsection (2).

Public comments must be submitted by August 28, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. A public rulemaking hearing may be requested in writing by at least 10 people or an organization with at least 10 members within the later of 21 days after Oregon Bulletin publication or 28 days after notice is sent to the agency mailing list. No effective date is stated.

FULL SUMMARY

The regulation revises Nevada educator-licensure requirements. Provisional licenses may be used to teach or serve as substitute teachers in county school districts, charter schools, and the university school for profoundly gifted pupils. Qualified providers must notify the Office of Educator Licensure within 15 days when a provisional-license holder leaves or stops participating in an alternative-route program; the license then becomes immediately invalid, subject to one possible reinstatement before expiration if the holder joins another qualified program and pays the required fee. The Teacher Licensure Office is renamed the Office of Educator Licensure throughout the affected provisions. A person who completed an alternative-route program in another state may qualify as though the person completed Nevada’s program if the person is a service member, spouse of a service member, veteran, or spouse of a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces.

For early-childhood licensure, the regulation replaces the elementary-license pathway’s student-teaching or one-year experience alternatives with at least one semester credit of practicum involving children under age six, supervised by the program instructor and supported by local-education-agency coaching. It removes the prior eight-semester-hour student-teaching, one-year experience, and equivalent-practicum options for that pathway; revises required coursework to include specified subjects such as child development and learning, language and literacy, mathematics, science, social studies, disability strategies, classroom management, culturally and linguistically responsive pedagogy, and play theory and creativity; requires 27 semester hours in early-childhood education plus either eight semester hours of supervised student teaching involving children from birth through grade 2 or one year of verifiable experience teaching in an early-childhood program. The changes to this section take effect upon filing with the Secretary of State or August 1, 2026, whichever is later.

Elementary-licensure preparation increases from 32 to 41 semester hours. The revised program requires 18 hours in methods for literacy or language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies, and 15 hours in elementary curriculum and program implementation covering classroom and behavior management, multicultural education and culturally relevant pedagogy, multi-tiered systems of supports, disability strategies, and child development and learning; the separate subject-area requirement becomes 18 hours, including at least six hours each in mathematics, science, and social studies. Recreational physical education is removed from the recognized comprehensive majors and minors for secondary licensure. Conditional administrator endorsements and music-therapist endorsements are updated to use the Office of Educator Licensure; providers must report program withdrawal within 15 days for administrator endorsements, which then become immediately invalid, with reinstatement and conversion pathways retained subject to the stated conditions. NAC 391.015, concerning office locations and licensure forms, and NAC 391.0583, concerning special qualifications licenses, are repealed. The text states that the regulation is effective upon filing by the Secretary of State or August 1, 2026, whichever is later.

The regulation changes the requirements for a Nevada public-school music-therapist endorsement. Applicants must hold both a valid music-therapy license issued by the Health Care Purchasing and Compliance Division of the Nevada Health Authority under NRS 640D.110 and a bachelor’s or higher degree in music therapy. It also removes the provision tying the endorsement’s expiration to the expiration of the underlying music-therapy license; the endorsement therefore follows the applicable general expiration date under NAC 391.060. Renewal continues to require submission to the Office of Educator Licensure of a copy of a valid, unexpired music-therapy license and the applicable fee under NAC 391.070 or 391.073.

The regulation changes NAC 391.276’s requirements for an endorsement to serve as a music therapist in a public school. Applicants must hold both a valid, unexpired music-therapy license issued by the Health Care Purchasing and Compliance Division of the Nevada Health Authority under NRS 640D.110 and a bachelor’s degree or higher in music therapy. The licensing authority is updated from the State Board of Health to that Division.

The endorsement will no longer expire automatically when the holder’s music-therapy license expires. Renewal requires submission to the Department’s Office of Educator Licensure of a valid, unexpired music-therapy license from the Division and the fee required by NAC 391.070 or 391.073. The regulation does not state a separate effective or compliance date.

The proposed regulation changes NAC 391.276’s requirements for a music-therapy endorsement. Applicants must hold a valid music-therapy license issued by the Health Care Purchasing and Compliance Division of the Nevada Health Authority under NRS 640D.110, as amended by 2025 Senate Bill 494, and must also hold a bachelor’s or higher degree in music therapy.

It removes the provision tying the endorsement’s expiration date to expiration of the holder’s music-therapy license. Under the resulting application of NAC 391.060, the endorsement expires on the holder’s birth date. Renewal continues to require submission to the Office of Educator Licensing of a copy of a valid, unexpired music-therapy license and the applicable NAC 391.070 or 391.073 fee. References to the former State Board of Health are replaced with the Nevada Health Authority division currently responsible for music-therapy licensure.

The Washington Department of Health is considering new rules to implement SHB 2363 (Chapter 27, Laws of 2026), which permits qualifying music therapy applicants to practice temporarily while their license applications and examination results are pending. The contemplated rules would establish enforceable standards for a six-month temporary exemption from licensure for applicants who satisfy all other licensing requirements, provided they practice under the supervision of a licensed music therapist. The notice identifies RCW 18.233.060 and .070 and SHB 2363 as authority for the rulemaking.

The department will use collaborative rulemaking, including a series of workshops, and invites interested parties to participate in drafting and development before the proposed rules are published. No public comment deadline, hearing date, effective date, or compliance deadline is specified.