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Senate advances counselor licensure bill after expert witnesses debate training standards
Summary
After hours of testimony from university psychologists and counseling representatives, the Senate placed Substitute Senate Bill 70, a new professional counselor licensing law, on the third‑reading calendar (18–10). Lawmakers debated training hours, a proposed 'grandparent' clause for current counselors and whether licensure should be timed to upgrade graduate programs.
The Utah Senate advanced a bill to create a state license for professional counselors after an extended hearing that brought academics, association leaders and clinicians to the floor.
Substitute Senate Bill 70 would create a licensing framework for counselors — a class of mental-health practitioners the bill’s proponents said are widely used in schools and community agencies but are not currently licensed in Utah. Dr. Ron Bingham of Brigham Young University, who identified himself as chair of BYU’s Department of Educational Psychology, told the Senate the bill would address a workforce gap, especially in rural areas, and make…
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