A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT amending the professional counselors act to modify educational qualifications for the practice of counseling.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 90‑336(b) reads as rewritten:
"(b)	The Board shall issue a license as a "licensed professional counselor associate" to an applicant who meets all of the following criteria:
(1)	Has earned a minimum of 48 semester hours or 72 quarter credit hours of graduate training as defined by the Board, including a master's degree in counseling or a related field from a regionally or nationally accredited institution of higher education if the applicant enrolled in the master's program before July 1, 2009; a minimum of 54 semester hours or 81 quarter credit hours of graduate training as defined by the Board, including a master's degree in counseling or a related field from a regionally or nationally accredited institution of higher education if the applicant enrolled in the master's program before July 1, 2013, but after June 30, 2009; or a minimum of 60 semester hours or 90 quarter credit hours of graduate training as defined by the Board, including a master's degree in counseling or a related field from a regionally or nationally accredited institution of higher education if the applicant enrolled in the master's program after June 30, 2013.
(2)	Repealed by Session Laws 2009‑367, s. 6, effective October 1, 2009.
(3)	Has passed an examination in accordance with rules adopted by the Board."
SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective October 1, 2015.