A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT amending the psychology practice act to clarify requirements for permanent licensure.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 90‑270.4(e) reads as rewritten:
"(e)	Except as otherwise provided in subsection (g) of this section, nothing in this Article shall be construed to prevent qualified members of other professional groups licensed or certified under the laws of this State from rendering services within the scope of practice, as defined in the statutes regulating those professional practices, provided they do not hold themselves out to the public by any title or description stating or implying that they are psychologists or are licensed, certified, or registered to practice psychology."
SECTION 2.  G.S. 90‑270.4(g) reads as rewritten:
"(g)	Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, if a person exempt from the provisions of this Article and not required to be licensed under this Article is or becomes licensed under this Article, he or she shall be required to comply with all conditions, requirements, and obligations imposed by Board rules or by statute upon all other psychologists licensed under this Article, even if the person is not holding himself or herself out to the public by any title or description stating or implying that the person is a psychologist, a licensed psychological associate, or licensed to practice psychology."
SECTION 3.  G.S. 90‑270.6 reads as rewritten:
"§ 90‑270.6.  Psychology Board; appointment; term of office; composition.
For the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this Article, there is created a North Carolina Psychology Board, which shall consist of seven members appointed by the Governor. At all times three members shall be licensed psychologists, two members shall be licensed psychological associates, and two members shall be members of the public who are not licensed under this Article. Due consideration shall be given to the adequate representation of the various fields and areas of practice of psychology and to adequate representation from various geographic regions in the State. Terms of office shall be three years. All terms of service on the Board expire June 30 in appropriate years. As the term of a psychologist member expires, or as a vacancy of a psychologist member occurs for any other reason, the North Carolina Psychological Association, or its successor, shall, having sought the advice of the chairs of the graduate departments of psychology in the State, for each vacancy, submit to the Governor a list of the names of three eligible persons. From this list the Governor shall make the appointment for a full term, or for the remainder of the unexpired term, if any. Each Board member shall serve until his or her successor has been appointed. As the term of a member expires, or if one should become vacant for any reason, the Governor shall appoint a new member within 60 days of the vacancy's occurring. No member, either public or licensed under this Article, shall serve more than three complete consecutive terms."
SECTION 4.  G.S. 90‑270.13 reads as rewritten:
"(a)	Upon application and payment of the requisite fee, the Board shall grant permanent licensure at the appropriate level to any person who, at the time of application, is licensed or certified as a psychologist by a similar psychology licensing board in another jurisdiction, whose license or certification is in good standing, who is a graduate of an institution of higher education, who passes any examination prescribed by the Board, and who meets the definition of a senior psychologist as that term is defined by the rules of the Board."
SECTION 5.  G.S. 90‑270.13 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:
"(a1)	Upon application and payment of the required fee, the Board shall grant permanent licensure at the appropriate level to any person who, at the time of application:
(1)	Is licensed or certified as a psychologist by a similar psychology licensing board in another jurisdiction whose license or certification is in good standing;
(2)	Possesses a doctoral degree in psychology from an institution of higher learning;
(3)	Passes an examination prescribed by the Board;
(4)	Has no unresolved complaints in any jurisdiction at the time of application in this State; and
(5)	Holds a current credential for psychology licensure mobility, as defined in rules adopted by the Board.
However, the Board may, in its discretion, deny permanent licensure under this subsection to an applicant whose behavior does not conform with the requirements of G.S. 90‑270.15(a)."
SECTION 6.  This act is effective when it becomes law.