Existing law, the Psychology Licensing Law, requires the Board of Psychology to license and regulate the practice of psychology. The Psychology Licensing Law authorizes the board to refuse to issue a registration or license, to issue a registration or license with terms and conditions, or to revoke the registration or license if the applicant, registrant, or licensee has been guilty of unprofessional conduct, which includes an act of sexual abuse, or sexual relations with a patient or former patient within 2 years following termination of therapy, or sexual misconduct that is substantially related to the qualifications, functions, or duties of a psychologist, psychological assistant, or registered psychologist. The Psychology Licensing Law, as an exception to this authorizing provision, requires that an order of revocation of a registration or license be included in a specified administrative adjudication decision or proposed decision that contains a finding of fact that the licensee or registrant engaged in an act of sexual contact with a patient, or with a former patient within 2 years following termination of therapy. The Psychology Licensing Law defines "sexual contact" for this purpose to mean the touching, as defined, of an intimate part, as defined, of another person. The Psychology Licensing Law prohibits the administrative law judge from staying the revocation.
This bill, instead, would require an order of revocation of a registration or license to be included in a specified administrative adjudication decision or proposed decision that contains a finding of fact that the licensee or registrant engaged in sexual abuse, sexual relations, or sexual behavior as defined, with a client, or with a former client within 2 years following termination of therapy. The bill would authorize the board to stay these revocations.

Statutes affected:
SB275: 2960.1 BPC
02/13/19 - Introduced: 2960.1 BPC
01/06/20 - Amended Assembly: 2960.1 BPC
02/13/20 - Amended Assembly: 2960 BPC, 2960.1 BPC