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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 counselors eligible for some public funding streams. “We hope that you will favorably consider Senate Bill 70,” he said during his remarks.
Opponents, including representatives of the Utah Psychological Association, questioned whether counseling graduate programs in the state had enough clinical or remedial training to prepare licensees for independent practice. Dr. Robert Gleaves, a licensed psychologist with BYU’s counseling center, urged caution and said the state’s programs have not uniformly prepared graduates for “moment-to-moment judgment” in clinical cases.
A major point of contention was the bill’s educational standard. The substitute bill proposed a 60‑semester‑hour standard aligned with a national model; senators considered an amendment to lower the requirement to 48 hours and include a grandparenting provision that would recognize many currently practicing counselors. Supporters of the 48‑hour compromise argued it protects experienced professionals already working in clinics and agencies; others warned it could lower training rigor. The sponsors also inserted language clarifying that “professional” counseling, for enforcement purposes, would mean paid practice — intended to avoid criminalizing volunteer or peer support activities.
Lawmakers also asked about third‑party reimbursement and Medicaid billing. Dr. Bingham and other witnesses said licensing would make it easier for counselors to be paid by insurance and public programs, though they cautioned they could not precisely predict how many would enter private practice.
After amendment votes and floor debate, the clerk recorded the result: Substitute Senate Bill 70 showed 18 ayes, 10 nays, 1 absent, and it was placed on the third‑reading calendar.
What’s next: The bill will return for third reading and a final floor vote; sponsors indicated some technical and placement language may be adjusted between readings.
