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Committee approves resolution urging mental health boards to pursue interstate reciprocity
Summary
House Joint Resolution 5, amended to 'strongly encourage' mental-health licensure boards to consider interstate compacts or reciprocity procedures, passed the committee 9-0 and was placed on consent; sponsor’s representative said language was softened to urge rather than require action by boards.
The committee approved a proposed senate substitute of House Joint Resolution 5, which addresses mental-health professional licensure and seeks to expand the workforce by encouraging interstate compacts or reciprocity procedures.
Representative Ken Fleming, the sponsor’s representative, told the committee the substitute changes mandatory language to strongly encourage state licensing boards to consider entering interstate compacts or establishing reciprocity procedures. The change was made to provide flexibility to licensing boards while signaling legislative intent to increase the state’s mental-health workforce through easier cross-state licensure.
Committee members voted 9-0 to advance the substitute, and the measure was placed on consent. Chairman Alvarado thanked representative Fleming and committee members for their work and flexibility on the language.
The substitute directs the named licensure boards to consider the interstate options enumerated in the resolution; it does not itself create a compact or alter licensing law but signals legislative support and instructs boards to study options and report back as appropriate.
