[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6466025,"mediaKeyId","5826072-dabc540a5ef73f122f0ac5955bbac63d","parentId",5826072,"title","Committee questions support and staffing for Behavior Analyst Licensing Board tied to insurance billing","audioSeconds",340,"startMs",1868000,"endMs",2208000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5826072-dabc540a5ef73f122f0ac5955bbac63d&start=1868&end=2208","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5826072-dabc540a5ef73f122f0ac5955bbac63d/thumbnail_1868000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6466025/Alabama/Committee-questions-support-and-staffing-for-Behavior-Analyst-Licensing-Board-tied-to-insurance-billing","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6466025-d43876d319ed697b09e80ae28f92da28/orig.mp4?Expires=1773659852&Signature=SdGbBouwDpSAEqXVkaLXlEaLZ6-htlsOr83YVNdqarTcQEKFv~zXbRDO7tTAun9yBJCeDUFYNzZQp8bEiga1J3jKFZAtebdvxEw8aw4UZd4pDlkSNWzZcvVtTK8wUf8NvDHv6PuMynmT~H7bF5FocLu06nG4mJWd24GKjrRjAKtMdEUMSA-6Bfw2cBOm-GLTfJq2~bZ0ATmEdJrluArbVhu3jVmSKRbQHb7kdZARAWekMDmruiWhkh5dZOrrz~VraD4eL0TIYMr-Z-pfiouPlSyTlUG4f4Yw5PjDG9J3UpWljhsi1X6Q3p~bRwTqNfqEJxoCRIfipXwTu43E--kKCA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Alabama Joint Sessions","date","2025-09-24T20:15:34.21Z","article","Legislators on the Joint Interim Committees questioned whether the Behavior Analyst Licensing Board is adequately staffed and whether it is receiving the shared resources it was promised from the Department of Mental Health.

Miss Thomas reported that the board—created in 2014—has seven governor-appointed members, does not receive compensation (only travel), reported 717 licensees, and had 13 complaints in the two-year rollover period (8 resolved and several pending awaiting information). She said a 2024 sunset law added requirements that the Department of Mental Health provide certain services and office space to the board, and the board had one administrative support assistant shared with the Department of Mental Health.

Senator Givin (transcript spelling) asked why the board remains an independent entity if it lacks staff and support. A legislator who had previously proposed sunsetting the board told the committee that without the board’s certification, providers could not bill insurance for behavioral-autism therapy. The legislator asked the Department of Mental Health to appear at the next hearing to explain whether the additional support required by statute had been provided and how the department is implementing that mandate.

Committee members also flagged repeated administrative problems in the board’s record-keeping, minutes, executive sessions and vacancy postings—issues that have recurred across multiple review periods. Miss Thomas said two of six prior findings were resolved, while the remainder persisted.

Ending — Next steps: The committee asked the Department of Mental Health to appear at the next hearing to explain how it is supporting the board, and requested documentation of staffing and the statutory provisions that describe shared responsibilities.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Alabama Joint Interim Sunset Committee Meeting - Work Session","oneSentenceSummary","Legislators raised concerns that inadequate administrative support is hindering the Behavior Analyst Licensing Board’s operations and that lack of staffing threatens providers’ ability to bill insurers for autism-related services.","taxTitle","Joint Interim Committees, Alabama Legislative Sessions, Alabama","taxId",14940,"location","Alabama","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6466030,"Legislators press massage therapy board on human trafficking investigations, authority and funding",868,2572000,3440000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5826072-dabc540a5ef73f122f0ac5955bbac63d&start=2572&end=3440","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5826072-dabc540a5ef73f122f0ac5955bbac63d/thumbnail_2572000.jpg","/articles/6466030/Alabama/Legislators-press-massage-therapy-board-on-human-trafficking-investigations-authority-and-funding","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6466030-fd406582562a122e17c608ab1a7abacb/orig.mp4?Expires=1773659852&Signature=ErMIn6BQag3euselS2ev1pxx8Pt6AigdA9w8G~knEnHVwqn-5PjzPjgNc6CFGXptdC~uxXo11RNyNzgyfx61103wVSrl9LdW1sHeUeqEpPeJUtyfrJ2iC~HTS9Ut3Dc2KT2LruHFp6ZIwifCRQrXltccDUH73tMjN0kr4mSyFOUHudQabQ4NJPsqTRY8CuQsjY32564xOoi6ufJFDVBXOxNabvHK26B72ogQteq~Df8tfWspAJzYf6COUlhbnZAsuIzgo7NwcpeSnxZ8MWdqHjB8h5c5nhhCF7ePf-TkIZcpHosjSJOmOUyjX4TsmFH7htSFcg3L8te-lzVqo~ODgA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Lawmakers at a Joint Interim Committees work session questioned whether the Alabama Massage Therapy Board has sufficient authority and resources to address prostitution and human trafficking tied to some massage establishments.

Committee members described repeated incidents in which local police have raided massage establishments suspected of prostitution, but board investigators lack the investigatory access or authority to collect evidence or participate in criminal investigations. A board representative who identified themself as a chief of policy with the Board of Nursing (and the designated interim executive director for the Massage Board) told the committee, \"If you want us to shut down human traffickers, we would need to be able to participate in these investigations,\" and added that doing so would require additional authority and resources.

Legislators debated options. Representative Wilcock recommended appointing members with law enforcement backgrounds to the board: \"I would actually submit due to the horrible nature of the trafficking tie in that both of those appointments have a background in law enforcement.\" Other members cautioned against giving board investigators full \"police powers,\" warning that inserting additional actors into criminal investigations could jeopardize prosecutions.

Board and committee members described practical problems: when local police lead raids, board investigators have sometimes been asked to stay outside and are then unable to gather administrative evidence needed to pursue licensing sanctions. One committee member said, \"If you just shut them down, then they can open up the next day under a new name,\" describing how operators can evade administrative sanctions without criminal charges. Committee members asked board counsel and staff to look at statutory language on evidence-sharing and possible cooperative models with law enforcement, and to bring clearer options to the committee at the next hearing.

The massage board's financial statements were also discussed. The board had an unobligated cash balance of $5,469 at the end of fiscal 2024, and committee members pointed out that addressing trafficking requires resources beyond what the board currently raises from licensees. A committee member said it may be inappropriate to expect reputable licensees to fund what could effectively be a law-enforcement operation.

Ending — Next steps: Committee members asked board staff and the Attorney General's Office to brief the committee tomorrow on legal options for evidence sharing, investigatory roles, and possible statutory changes; they also asked the board to detail resource needs and any proposals for cooperative enforcement with local law enforcement.","During the Joint Interim Committees session, legislators and board representatives debated whether the Alabama Massage Therapy Board needs broader investigative authority or better cooperation with law enforcement to shut down establishments used for prostitution and trafficking, and whether licensee-funded enforcement is appropriate.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6466035,"Committee presses Board of Examiners and Counseling over repeated emergency contracts with Smith Warren",433,319000,752000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5826072-dabc540a5ef73f122f0ac5955bbac63d&start=319&end=752","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5826072-dabc540a5ef73f122f0ac5955bbac63d/thumbnail_319000.jpg","/articles/6466035/Alabama/Committee-presses-Board-of-Examiners-and-Counseling-over-repeated-emergency-contracts-with-Smith-Warren","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6466035-0d84ab144dea0ec871809f516ad5e271/orig.mp4?Expires=1773659852&Signature=AgzbFd9KJmF3Jf8-E~EGzu2QNpw1dZg-Z6O8lquUB0sxboY0Jnx1D3KUo3-pQT~G3F9793PNqIluPbtGcrdb2Qxu4ntEBCkYw~B6nYCDGDP3s8~1Mr5WqWjAFv~Zc2bucy61Km0wb6xGXKX8iV8m9GNTYEnN~V2B7Or1KM0Q0CMyc3K4EJbYs3lDTVj99yhzXBhOmq~E28GkY0kNPeOISp5YHobsUbsYbY3wVC5aWNuoPHzzt9jq30Oe1l2YK04Mkiu8hga5BNMFqJXq7BmRJeRUTDQ6lNdWQtHDiohAspiAyakLSii9mKUCVXubSwsL5SU7zn00E1d8QYQOvcloaA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Members of the Joint Interim Committees pressed the Board of Examiners and Counseling on its continued use of emergency administrative contracts, noting repeated procurement problems and financial costs.

Miss Thomas of the examiner's office told the committee that the board has operated under an emergency contract with Smith Warren Management Services for $31,500 per month since April 2025 while a new contract is put in place. \"This board is still operating under an emergency contract now,\" she said.

Committee members pointed to a pattern of emergency renewals. Representative Pringle asked, \"How do you have an emergency contract for 5 years running?\" and criticized the quality of the vendor's work, saying Smith Warren \"failed to properly deposit money\" and \"failed to do the contracts correctly.\" Senator Gavan and Representative Simpson both urged the committee to review the board's composition and appointment process; Gavan suggested the governor's appointments rely too heavily on association nominations and proposed examining whether the governor should be allowed to grant short extensions rather than restarting procurement.

Miss Thomas said the board had an annual contract for 10/01/2023–09/30/2024 but failed to submit its renewal to the contract review committee before it expired in 2024. After a restarted RFP and an award, she said protests forced another emergency contract; the board remained on emergency contract status as of the Friday before the hearing.

Committee members framed the repeated emergency contracting as an administrative failure rather than a one-time oversight. Representative Simpson said the board had repeatedly failed to address prior findings across multiple years and asked whether the committee should consider sunsetting the board if it continues to disregard procurement laws. Senator Gavan suggested the committee review board membership rules and potential statutory fixes to allow limited extensions to avoid restarting RFPs.

The board's basic governance facts were presented by Miss Thomas: the Board of Examiners and Counseling licenses professional counselors, was created in 1979, has seven governor-appointed members serving five-year terms, compensates members $300 per day plus travel, employed two staff, and reported 5,233 licensees as of Feb. 18, 2025. The board’s legal services come from the attorney general’s office and its funds are held in the state treasury.

Committee members requested follow-up in the next meeting to determine statutory or administrative changes to reduce reliance on repeated emergency contracts and to probe Smith Warren's performance and oversight.

Ending — Next steps: Committee members asked staff to assemble additional documentation and to prepare possible statutory language for consideration at a future session; Miss Thomas and other staff were expected to bring more details when the board returns for its next rollover review.","At a Joint Interim Committees work session, legislators questioned why the Board of Examiners and Counseling has operated for years under emergency management contracts—most recently with Smith Warren Management Services—after the board’s executive director resigned and the board failed to timely complete procurement and contracting steps.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6466015,"Committee spotlights recurring administrative failures across licensing boards in rollover reviews",4846,299000,5145000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5826072-dabc540a5ef73f122f0ac5955bbac63d&start=299&end=5145","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5826072-dabc540a5ef73f122f0ac5955bbac63d/thumbnail_299000.jpg","/articles/6466015/Alabama/Committee-spotlights-recurring-administrative-failures-across-licensing-boards-in-rollover-reviews","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6466015-a20a37574ee4088544a9e795c07b276f/orig.mp4?Expires=1773659852&Signature=VnOm6GJyR9f~9JGihVZ~3pRhD1jKRMrcFkLbTWP0-pvf1JvnntlYYRzoSQSTMjWCFLoMgxOcMOmNHJQ--gSs-dZ1OCXQeHkDhFJOHZhIwrR8qaz7MPEOihT1xt08eRppFpdCQjJjn0XrX2aEzEyZUs3DvQNkYno46WK1T8LVG96p1QxapGDFnpj87fVxMHrUUOm8WxonbEyvlo-~y5ReiUG89PSz1oW5ymvQlxsH4ETeRvqYY8TLpmSKty~d6wCTS6kLuUCf7l5LABEtPC-rv9Qei178Tl33AnLWgvEl-x48MXxOr4kXNJSdJWboTlAWpfPniMUTbpWXlW1KInWyoA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","During the Joint Interim Committees session, legislators and staff identified a pattern of administrative shortcomings across multiple licensing boards—ranging from missed vacancy postings to repeated emergency contracts and inconsistent minutes—that committee members said undermines public confidence and board effectiveness.

Miss Thomas briefed the committee on several boards in succession and noted similar findings across rollover reviews: failure to timely notify the Secretary of State of board vacancies (private investigation and assisted living boards), invoicing based on amended contracts before full execution (private investigators and assisted living administrators), incomplete rulemaking processes that temporarily left new fees unsupported (private investigators), and repeated issues with minutes, executive sessions, and vacancy postings (behavior analyst board and assisted living administrators).

Committee members repeatedly pointed to limited administrative capacity and inconsistent oversight as root causes. Several boards operate with one staff member or share a single administrative assistant through interagency agreements; where boards had used outside administrative services providers they sometimes encountered contract disputes, accounting errors, or emergency-contract reliance. Representative comments summarized the problem as one of \"effective management\" rather than mission failure: \"It's just effective management and what we see on top of that,\" a committee member said.

Some members proposed consolidation or stronger interagency agreements to provide stable administrative services, while others suggested clearer statutory duties, training, and enforcement of vacancy-posting requirements. A practical response used during prior sessions—assigning interns to contact noncompliant boards to prompt filings—was mentioned as a low-cost, effective remedial step.

Ending — Next steps: Committee staff were asked to prepare options for legislative or administrative solutions, including targeted consolidation, minimum staffing expectations for boards, improved training, and statutory fixes for procurement or vacancy-notice procedures. Boards with unresolved findings were expected at follow-up hearings.","Committee members noted a common pattern across several licensing boards—poor record-keeping, missed vacancy postings, late rulemaking steps and reliance on emergency or interim administrative providers—and discussed consolidation and staffing solutions.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6466020,"Committee highlights record-keeping and payout problems at Board of Pharmacy",555,3803000,4358000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5826072-dabc540a5ef73f122f0ac5955bbac63d&start=3803&end=4358","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5826072-dabc540a5ef73f122f0ac5955bbac63d/thumbnail_3803000.jpg","/articles/6466020/Alabama/Committee-highlights-record-keeping-and-payout-problems-at-Board-of-Pharmacy","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6466020-6f85a067d31b325bf00e1010d26fc3b7/orig.mp4?Expires=1773659852&Signature=mFPEyAvzrDkKFSwNjRvzaQnPUWNx4tWLQIPkBl97cWRSfD8pysKQsVfljZziaCVyutDb7rTFjn3zPhYhQaMC-LV8ouICa2d1xuYDlfFSiy-SnhbEN8F0z-6u837Fj9ZBxkGdmRKqRmLpYg~27ER8XiN8hgQ4~DfFYISTGVLVpK28nSj3ZMrBtraWgtqigQ38-61N~RnPWAMAsnFrsyEPQWvuSxAb91jf2btVybS-kCIkgwETjLITqA1OaRdkfy44MjAOaMgn3Oy-o~2FkNuVXnwo~unUowioSCDCSUEBHvuEormHo8DOyP~Dg2O~QfMI-rJPxZWDkbGOFTOo9Juj2A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Members of the Joint Interim Committees criticized the Board of Pharmacy for administrative missteps, public dissatisfaction among pharmacists and pharmacy businesses, and a high-profile employee payout that drew attention during the one-year rollover review.

Miss Thomas summarized the board's recent changes and responsibilities. The board, which dates back to 1887, was rolled over for one year by legislation that took effect May 14, 2025. She said the board had five governor-appointed members serving five-year terms, compensated at $500 per day plus expenses; the board had an interim administrator, Casey Shaw, with a salary and a $5,000 monthly component.

The board held funds outside the state treasury in three bank accounts and reported 32,940 licensees in May 2025. Miss Thomas and committee members said the board resolved 20 of 26 prior findings but continued to face concerns from survey respondents. Pharmacists, chain pharmacies and oxygen retailers told the committee that reimbursement and regulatory burdens remain the most significant issues facing their professions; complainants who responded to surveys said they were dissatisfied with complaint handling.

A separate administrative matter drew strong comment: a prior employee's leave payout was characterized in the minutes as a case rather than a settlement. The committee was told that a former secretary had overridden policy and authorized payment of 606 hours of leave when policy allowed payment of only half of accrued sick leave, resulting in an $11,000 overpayment that the board recovered after notifying and obtaining repayment from the employee. One legislator said the magnitude of leave payouts and perceived favoritism contributed to licensee distrust.

Members also discussed geographic representation on the board: several legislators urged statutes or appointment practices that would ensure members are drawn from across the state rather than clustering around university towns or single metropolitan areas, saying that wider geographic diversity would improve public trust of the board.

Ending — Next steps: Committee members directed staff to prepare clarifying language and to follow up on outstanding items in the board's one-year review, including any statutory cleanups needed to implement the sunset extension passed last session.","The Board of Pharmacy drew criticism during the committee session for record-keeping failures, perception problems among licensees, and an overpayment for accrued leave that the board recovered; legislators also discussed geographic representation on the board and staggered appointment timing from recent sunset legislation.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee questions support and staffing for Behavior Analyst Licensing Board tied to insurance billing

Legislators press massage therapy board on human trafficking investigations, authority and funding

Committee presses Board of Examiners and Counseling over repeated emergency contracts with Smith Warren

Committee spotlights recurring administrative failures across licensing boards in rollover reviews

Committee highlights record-keeping and payout problems at Board of Pharmacy