(1) Existing law, the Psychology Licensing Law, establishes the Board of Psychology to license and regulate psychologists and the practice of psychology. Existing law repeals the provision establishing the board on January 1, 2026.
This bill would extend operation of the board to January 1, 2030.
Existing law establishes qualifications for registration as a psychological testing technician, including proof of completion of a bachelor's degree or graduate degree, or proof of current enrollment in a graduate degree program in psychology or in education with a field of specialization in educational psychology, counseling psychology, or school psychology. Existing law also establishes various fees relating to the licensure and regulation of the practice of psychology.
This bill would expand the list of authorized areas of study for registration as a psychological testing technician to include neuroscience, cognitive science, or behavioral science, and would specify that the board shall make the final determination as to whether a degree or degree program meets the educational requirements. The bill would establish a fee of $25 to add or change a supervisor for a psychological testing technician.
Existing law provides that a psychologist's license shall be suspended automatically during any time the holder of the license is incarcerated after conviction of a felony, and provides for the continued suspension of the license if, after a hearing, it is determined in the hearing that the felony for which the licensee was convicted is substantially related to the qualifications, functions, or duties of a licensee. Existing law requires any discipline ordered to cease if the conviction is overturned on appeal.
This bill would revise and recast those provisions, including authorizing the board to decline to set aside the suspension when it appears to be in the interest of justice to do so. The bill would revise and recast provisions relating to suspended, revoked, and surrendered licenses and obtaining a new license after a license is void after not being renewed within 3 years. The bill would make various technical and other changes to the Psychology Licensing Law, including defining the terms "license," "licensee," and "client."
(2) Existing law establishes the Board of Behavioral Sciences in the Department of Consumer Affairs to regulate licensees under the Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Act, the Educational Psychologist Practice Act, the Clinical Social Worker Practice Act, and the Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor Act. Existing law repeals the provision establishing the board on January 1, 2026. Existing law, until January 1, 2026, authorizes a person who holds a license in another jurisdiction of the United States as a marriage and family therapist, a clinical social worker, or a professional clinical counselor to provide those services in this state for a period not to exceed 30 days.
This bill would extend the date of the operation of the board to January 1, 2030, and would extend the date on which the provision authorizing a person who is licensed out-of-state as a marriage and family therapist, a clinical social worker, or professional clinical counselor to practice in this state to January 1, 2030. The bill would entitle the provisions providing for the licensure and regulation of marriage and family therapists as the Marriage and Family Therapist Practice Act.
Existing law requires certain applicants for registration or licensure as a marriage and family therapist who completed graduate study on or before December 31, 2018, to submit to the board a certification by the applicant's educational institution that the institution's required curriculum for graduation and associated coursework includes certain instruction in alcoholism and other chemical substance dependency and in spousal or partner abuse assessment, detection, and intervention.
This bill would delete that requirement.
Existing law requires an applicant for licensure or registration as a professional clinical counselor to obtain a degree in a program that includes a minimum of 280 hours of face-to-face supervised clinical experience counseling individuals, families, or groups. Existing law requires a professional clinical counselor trainee to receive an average of at least one hour of direct supervisor contact for every 5 hours of direct clinical counseling performed each week and specifies that not more than 6 hours of supervision shall be credited during any single week.
This bill would delete the provision limiting the number of hours of supervision credited in a single week to 6 hours.
Existing law requires an applicant for licensure as a marriage and family therapist, clinical social worker, or licensed professional clinical counselor to provide copies of tax returns for each year of experience claimed for purposes of satisfying the experience requirement for licensure.
This bill would require an applicant to provide the board with a copy of the applicant's most recent pay stub for experience gained during a tax year that has not ended by the date the application for licensure is received.
Existing law requires the board to issue a retired license to a marriage and family therapist, licensed educational psychologist, or licensed professional clinical counselor upon satisfaction of specified requirements.
The bill would revise the requirements for the issuance of a retired license, including submitting a statement under penalty of perjury that, among other things, the information provided on the application is true and correct. By expanding the crime of perjury, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would revise the education, experience, and other qualifications required for licensure as an educational psychologist.
The bill would make various technical and other changes to the Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Act, the Educational Psychologist Practice Act, the Clinical Social Worker Practice Act, and the Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor Act.
(3) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Statutes affected:
SB 775: 4980.03 BPC, 4989.49 BPC, 4992.2 BPC, 4999.12 BPC
02/21/25 - Introduced: 4980.03 BPC, 4989.49 BPC, 4992.2 BPC, 4999.12 BPC
05/01/25 - Amended Senate: 2902 BPC, 2902 BPC, 2903 BPC, 2903 BPC, 2908 BPC, 2908 BPC, 2920 BPC, 2920 BPC, 2936 BPC, 2936 BPC, 2952 BPC, 2952 BPC, 2960.6 BPC, 2960.6 BPC, 2961 BPC, 2961 BPC, 2964.3 BPC, 2964.3 BPC, 2964.5 BPC, 2964.5 BPC, 2964.6 BPC, 2964.6 BPC, 2966 BPC, 2966 BPC, 2985 BPC, 2985 BPC, 2986 BPC, 2986 BPC, 2987 BPC, 2987 BPC, 2999.101 BPC, 2999.101 BPC, 4980 BPC, 4980 BPC, 4980.01 BPC, 4980.01 BPC, 4980.03 BPC, 4980.11 BPC, 4980.11 BPC, 4980.38 BPC, 4980.38 BPC, 4980.43.3 BPC, 4980.43.3 BPC, 4982 BPC, 4982 BPC, 4982.05 BPC, 4982.05 BPC, 4984.41 BPC, 4984.41 BPC, 4989.20 BPC, 4989.20 BPC, 4989.45 BPC, 4989.45 BPC, 4989.49 BPC, 4989.54 BPC, 4989.54 BPC, 4990 BPC, 4990 BPC, 4992.2 BPC, 4992.3 BPC, 4992.3 BPC, 4996.16.1 BPC, 4996.16.1 BPC, 4996.23.2 BPC, 4996.23.2 BPC, 4999.12 BPC, 4999.23 BPC, 4999.23 BPC, 4999.46.3 BPC, 4999.46.3 BPC, 4999.113 BPC, 4999.113 BPC