Pennsylvania SB 1243: An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, in school safety and security, providing for mask requirement during COVID-19 disaster emergency declaration.

Bill Text

PRINTER'S NO. 1535
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. 1243
Session of
2026
INTRODUCED BY YAW, PENNYCUICK, VOGEL, BAKER, CULVER, ARGALL,
KANE, HUTCHINSON AND CAPPELLETTI, MARCH 23, 2026
REFERRED TO CONSUMER PROTECTION AND PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE,
MARCH 23, 2026
AN ACT
Amending the act of March 23, 1972 (P.L.136, No.52), entitled
"An act relating to the practice of psychology, providing for
licensing of psychologists, making certain acts illegal and
providing penalties," further providing for definitions, for
State Board of Psychology and for powers of the board;
providing for prescription certificate, for prescribing and
administrative practices and for controlled substances; and
further providing for refusal, suspension or revocation of
license, for reporting of multiple licensure and for
penalties and injunctions against unlawful practice.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The definition of "practice of psychology" in
section 2 of the act of March 23, 1972 (P.L.136, No.52), known
as the Professional Psychologists Practice Act, is amended and
the section is amended by adding definitions to read:
Section 2. Definitions.--As used in this act:
* * *
"Collaborative relationship" means a cooperative working
relationship between a prescribing psychologist and the
patient's primary care provider in the provision of patient
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care, including cooperation in the management and delivery of
physical and mental health care to ensure optimal patient care.
* * *
"Controlled substance" means a controlled substance as
defined in section 2(b) of the act of April 14, 1972 (P.L.233,
No.64), known as "The Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and
Cosmetic Act."
"Drug" means a drug as defined in section 2(b) of "The
Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act."
* * *
"Practice of psychology" [means offering to render or
rendering to individuals, corporations, institutions,
governmental agencies, or the public for remuneration any
service involving the following:
(i) The application of established principles of learning,
motivation, perception, thinking, and emotional relationships to
problems of personality evaluation, group relations, and
behavior adjustment. The application of said principles
includes, but is not restricted to, counseling and the use of
psychological methods with persons or groups with adjustment
problems in the areas of work, family, school, and personal
relationships; measuring and testing of personality,
intelligence, aptitudes, and emotions, and offering services as
a psychological consultant. Psychologists with appropriate
education, training and experience may diagnose and use
psychological methods in the treatment of a mental, emotional or
nervous illness or disability; alcoholism and other substance
abuse; disorders of habit or conduct; psychological aspects of
physical illness, accident, injury or disability; and
psychoeducational evaluation, therapy, remediation and
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consultation.
(ii) (a) "Measuring and testing," consisting of the
psychological assessment and evaluation of abilities, attitudes,
aptitudes, achievements, adjustments, motives, personality
dynamics and/or other psychological attributes of individuals,
or groups of individuals by means of standardized measurements
or other methods, techniques or procedures recognized by the
science and profession of psychology, (b) "psychological
methods," consisting of the application of principles of
learning and motivation in an interpersonal situation with the
objectives of modification of perception and adjustment, and
requiring highly developed skills in the disciplines,
techniques, and methods of altering through learning processes,
attitudes, feelings, values, self-concept, personal goals and
adaptive patterns, (c) "psychological consulting," consisting of
interpreting or reporting upon scientific fact or theory in
psychology, rendering expert psychological opinion,
psychological evaluation, or engaging in applied psychological
research.] means rendering or offering to render, to
individuals, corporations, institutions, governmental agencies
or the public, for remuneration, a service involving any of the
following:
(1) The application of established principles of learning,
motivation, perception, thinking and emotional relationships to
problems of personality evaluation, group relations and behavior
adjustment. The application of the established principles
includes:
(i) Counseling and the use of psychological methods with
persons or groups with adjustment problems in the areas of work,
family, school and personal relationships.
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(ii) Measuring and testing personality, intelligence,
aptitudes and emotions and