Pennsylvania SB 604: An Act authorizing the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to join the Counseling Compact; and providing for the form of the compact.

Bill Text

PRINTER'S NO. 612
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. 604
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY BOSCOLA, SCHWANK, FONTANA, COMITTA, BROWN,
PENNYCUICK, ROTHMAN, PHILLIPS-HILL, COSTA, J. WARD AND
CAPPELLETTI, APRIL 9, 2025
REFERRED TO CONSUMER PROTECTION AND PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE,
APRIL 9, 2025
AN ACT
Authorizing the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to join the
Counseling Compact; and providing for the form of the
compact.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the Counseling
Compact Act.
Section 2. Authority to execute compact.
The Governor, on behalf of the Commonwealth, is hereby
authorized to execute a compact in substantially the following
form with any one or more of the states of the United States,
and the General Assembly hereby signifies in advance its
approval and ratification of such compact:
COUNSELING COMPACT
SECTION 1. PURPOSE
The purpose of this Compact is to facilitate interstate practice
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of Licensed Professional Counselors with the goal of improving
public access to Professional Counseling services. The practice
of Professional Counseling occurs in the State where the client
is located at the time of the counseling services. The Compact
preserves the regulatory authority of States to protect public
health and safety through the current system of State licensure.
This Compact is designed to achieve the following objectives:
A. Increase public access to Professional Counseling
services by providing for the mutual recognition of other Member
State licenses;
B. Enhance the States' ability to protect the public's
health and safety;
C. Encourage the cooperation of Member States in regulating
multistate practice for Licensed Professional Counselors;
D. Support spouses of relocating Active Duty Military
personnel;
E. Enhance the exchange of licensure, investigative, and
disciplinary information among Member States;
F. Allow for the use of Telehealth technology to facilitate
increased access to Professional Counseling services;
G. Support the uniformity of Professional Counseling
licensure requirements throughout the States to promote public
safety and public health benefits;
H. Invest all Member States with the authority to hold a
Licensed Professional Counselor accountable for meeting all
State practice laws in the State in which the client is located
at the time care is rendered through the mutual recognition of
Member State licenses;
I. Eliminate the necessity for licenses in multiple States;
and
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J. Provide opportunities for interstate practice by Licensed
Professional Counselors who meet uniform licensure requirements.
SECTION 2. DEFINITIONS
As used in this Compact, and except as otherwise provided, the
following definitions shall apply:
A. "Active Duty Military" means full-time duty status in the
active uniformed service of the United States, including members
of the National Guard and Reserve on active duty orders pursuant
to 10 U.S.C. Chapters 1209 and 1211.
B. "Adverse Action" means any administrative, civil,
equitable or criminal action permitted by a State's laws which
is imposed by a licensing board or other authority against a
Licensed Professional Counselor, including actions against an
individual's license or Privilege to Practice such as
revocation, suspension, probation, monitoring of the licensee,
limitation on the licensee's practice, or any other Encumbrance
on licensure affecting a Licensed Professional Counselor's
authorization to practice, including issuance of a cease and
desist action.
C. "Alternative Program" means a non-disciplinary monitoring
or practice remediation process approved by a Professional
Counseling Licensing Board to address Impaired Practitioners.
D. "Continuing Competence/Education" means a requirement, as
a condition of license renewal, to provide evidence of
participation in, and/or completion of, educational and
professional activities relevant to practice or area of work.
E. "Counseling Compact Commission" or "Commission" means the
national administrative body whose membership consists of all
States that have enacted the Compact.
F. "Current Significant Investigative Information" means:
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1. Investigative Information that a Licensing Board,
after a preliminary inquiry that includes notification and an
opportunity for the Licensed Professional Counselor to
respond, if required by State law, has reason to believe is
not groundless and, if proved true, would indicate more than
a minor infraction; or
2. Investigative Information that indicates that the
Licensed Professional Counselor represents an immediate
threat to public health and safety regardless of whether the
Licensed Professional Counse