reglab/statecodes huggingface dataset:
2023 Louisiana Laws › Revised Statutes › Title 37 - Professions and Occupations › §37:1049. Qualifications and requirements of applicants

RS 37:1049 - Qualifications and requirements of applicants
All persons desiring to become licensed to practice optometry shall:
(1) Be citizens of the United States or possess valid and current legal authority to reside and work in the United States duly issued by the Citizenship and Immigration Services agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security, and be of good moral character.
(2) Have graduated from an approved high school or school maintaining a similar standard.
(3) Have graduated from a school or college of optometry approved by the board and hold the graduate level Doctor of Optometry degree.
(4) File with the secretary of the board upon the form furnished an application under oath stating that he fulfills each requirement of this Section and include with the application the papers required by R.S. 37:1050.
(5) Pass the examination required by R.S. 37:1051.
(6) Have reached the required level of performance on those parts of the examination administered by the National Board of Examiners in Optometry required by the board and cause to be furnished to the secretary of the board a true written copy of the score report of such national board examination.
(7) Have demonstrated that they have reached the qualification level necessary to become certified to treat abnormal conditions and pathology of the human eye and its adnexa as set forth in R.S. 37:1051, and the rules and regulations established, published, and administered by the board.
(8) Meet the credentialing requirements of the board to perform authorized ophthalmic surgery procedures.
Acts 2003, No. 987, §1; Acts 2009, No. 289, §1; Acts 2014, No. 398, §1, eff. June 1, 2014; Acts 2022, No. 313, §1, eff. June 10, 2022.
2023 Louisiana Laws › Revised Statutes › Title 37 - Professions and Occupations › §37:1050. Application requirements

RS 37:1050 - Application requirements
A. The application required by R.S. 37:1049 shall be accompanied by a certificate under oath of the applicant's credits from the schools of his graduation, by a photostatic copy of his diploma or certificate of graduation, by a true copy of the score report of the examination administered by the National Board of Examiners in Optometry required by the board, by the applicant's fee required by R.S. 37:1058, and by a photograph of the applicant. Failure to comply with these requirements shall constitute sufficient grounds to refuse the applicant the right to take the examination.
B. The application, together with the supporting documents, shall be filed with the secretary-treasurer of the board on or before thirty days prior to the date set for examination unless, in the opinion of the board, the documents, through no fault of the applicant, are not available at this time.
Acts 2003, No. 987, §1; Acts 2011, No. 149, §1.
2023 Louisiana Laws › Revised Statutes › Title 37 - Professions and Occupations › §37:1052. Certificate to practice; registering; evidence

RS 37:1052 - Certificate to practice; registering; evidence
A. If the applicant successfully passes the examination required in R.S. 37:1051, he shall, within ninety days of the examination date, pay all applicable fees including the original license fee and the original therapeutic pharmaceutical agent certificate fee and shall receive from the board under its seal certificates entitling him to practice optometry in this state. No certificate to practice optometry or therapeutic optometry in this state shall be issued to an applicant who fails to pay all applicable fees within the ninety-day period; provided, however, such applicant may file a new application as provided for in R.S. 37:1049 and retake the examination provided for in R.S. 37:1051. These certificates or renewals thereof shall be the only evidence of the right of a person to practice optometry or therapeutic optometry.
B. The certificates shall be registered in a record book to be kept by the board for that purpose. A copy of the certificates certified by the secretary of the board shall be received as evidence in all the courts of this state.
Acts 2009, No. 289, §1.
2023 Louisiana Laws › Revised Statutes › Title 37 - Professions and Occupations › §37:1053. Right to re-take examination

RS 37:1053 - Right to re-take examination
If an applicant fails to pass the examination provided in R.S. 37:1051, he may, after the expiration of six months, take a second examination without paying an additional fee, if this examination is held within two years after the failure.
2023 Louisiana Laws › Revised Statutes › Title 37 - Professions and Occupations › §37:1054. Applicants from other states; waiver of examination

RS 37:1054 - Applicants from other states; waiver of examination
The board may waive the examination provided in R.S. 37:1051 if the applicant presents to the board a satisfactory certificate of registration from a board of optometry examiners of another state, and if the standard of requirements adopted and enforced by such board is equal to that provided in this Chapter.
2023 Louisiana Laws › Revised Statutes › Title 37 - Professions and Occupations › §37:1056. Annual renewal of license to practice

RS 37:1056 - Annual renewal of license to practice
All licensed optometrists shall annually:
(1) Pay to the board the annual renewal fee provided in R.S. 37:1058 on or before the first day of March of each year.
(2)(a) Except as provided in Subparagraph (b) of this Paragraph, accompany the payment of the annual renewal fee with evidence satisfactory to the board of attendance and completion of twelve hours of continuing education.
(b) If the licensee is authorized to diagnose and treat pathology and to use and prescribe therapeutic pharmaceutical agents, accompany the payment of the annual renewal fee with evidence satisfactory to the board of attendance and completion of sixteen hours of continuing education.
(c) Half of the required hours of continuing education shall pertain to ocular and systemic pharmacology and current diagnosis and treatment of ocular disease and shall be obtained through an in-person classroom setting.
(d) No licensee shall obtain more than six hours from online education sources.
(e) The continuing education required by this Paragraph shall be obtained, whether in person or online, through any continuing education program that is one of the following:
(i) Offered by a nationally recognized optometric association.
(ii) Offered by a state affiliate of a nationally recognized optometric association or a regional council composed of state affiliates of a nationally recognized optometric association.
(iii) Offered by a school or college of optometry accredited by the American Optometric Association Accreditation Council on Optometric Education.
(iv) Accredited by a nationally recognized organization.
(f) All licensed optometrists who have attained the age of sixty years as of March 1, 1969, shall be exempt from this continuing education requirement.
Acts 1969, No. 116, §1; Acts 2018, No. 206, §3; Acts 2023, No. 194, §1.
2023 Louisiana Laws › Revised Statutes › Title 37 - Professions and Occupations › §37:1057. Renewals; requirements

RS 37:1057 - Renewals; requirements
A. Where the annual renewal fee required by R.S. 37:1056(1) is not paid on or before the first day of March, a delinquency fee of one hundred fifty dollars shall be imposed. Failure to pay the annual renewal fee and delinquency fee on or before the first day of July will provide a basis for the temporary suspension of a Louisiana optometry license. Payment of the license renewal fee made after the first day of July of each renewal year where the license has been suspended shall be accompanied by the one hundred fifty dollar delinquency fee, the one hundred fifty dollar reinstatement fee, as well as any costs or expenses, including attorney fees, which may be caused by the need for the institution of disciplinary proceedings, fines imposed in disciplinary proceedings, and all other applicable fees, including a license reinstatement fee. Failure to pay the annual renewal fee, delinquency fee or reinstatement fee on or before the first day of January of the year following the delinquency shall be cause for the board to revoke a Louisiana optometry license.
B. Where satisfactory evidence of compliance with the continuing education requirement, as required by R.S. 37:1056(2) is not submitted to the board on or before the first day of March, a delinquency fee of one hundred fifty dollars shall be imposed. Failure to submit satisfactory evidence of compliance with the continuing education requirement on or before the first day of July shall provide a basis for the temporary suspension of a Louisiana optometry license. Satisfactory evidence of compliance with the continuing education requirement provided to the board after the first day of July of each renewal year where the license has been suspended shall be accompanied by the one hundred fifty dollar delinquency fee, the one hundred fifty dollar reinstatement fee, as well as any cost or expenses, including attorney fees, which may be caused by the need for the institution of disciplinary proceedings, fines imposed in disciplinary proceedings, and all other applicable fees, including a license reinstatement fee. Failure to submit satisfactory evidence of compliance with the continuing education requirement on or before the first day of January of the year following the delinquency shall be cause for the board to revoke a Louisiana optometry license.
Amended by Acts 1969, No. 116, §1; Acts 2003, No. 987, §1; Acts 2006, No. 596, §1.
2023 Louisiana Laws › Revised Statutes › Title 37 - Professions and Occupations › §37:1058. Fees

RS 37:1058 - Fees
The board shall, by rule, establish a reasonable fee schedule for the issuance or renewal of any license, permit, or certificate, for administration of examinations for licensure, or for any other administrative function provided for in this Chapter, and the receipts from the payment of such fees shall be used to carry out the purpose of this Chapter. Such fee schedule may be modified from time to time as deemed necessary by the board. The fees shall be established and payable by rule adopted in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act. However, the board may, by a majority vote, reduce the amount of or waive the collection of any such fees.
Amended by Acts 1962, No. 96, §1; Acts 1969, No. 116, §1; Acts 1974, No. 446, §1; Amended by Acts 1982, No. 678, §1; Acts 2003, No. 987, §1.
2023 Louisiana Laws › Revised Statutes › Title 37 - Professions and Occupations › §37:1062. Hearing; appeal

RS 37:1062 - Hearing; appeal
Before any certificate may be revoked or suspended, the board shall grant the holder a public hearing of the charges against him. He shall be given notice in writing of these charges at least fifteen days prior to the date of the hearing, the date of which shall be specified in the notice. He shall be given an opportunity to produce testimony in his favor and to cross examine any witnesses against him.
Any person aggrieved by the decision of the board shall have the right to appeal to the courts of the state.
2023 Louisiana Laws › Revised Statutes › Title 37 - Professions and Occupations › §37:1063. Authorization to obtain criminal history record information

RS 37:1063 - Authorization to obtain criminal history record information
A. As used in this Section, the following terms shall have the following meaning:
(1) "Applicant" means an individual who has made application to the board for the issuance or reinstatement of any license, registration, certificate, permit, or any other designation deemed necessary to engage or assist in the practice of optometry that the board is authorized by law to issue.
(2) "Bureau" means the Louisiana Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information or the office of state police within the Department of Public Safety and Corrections.
(3) "Criminal history record information" means information collected by state and federal criminal justice agencies on individuals consisting of identifiable descriptions and notations of arrests, detentions, indictments, bills of information, or any formal criminal charges, and any disposition arising therefrom, including sentencing, criminal correctional supervision, and release, but does not include intelligence for investigatory purposes, nor does it include any identification information which does not indicate involvement of the individual in the criminal justice system.
(4) "FBI" means the Federal Bureau of Investigation of the United States Department of Justice.
(5) "Licensure" means any license, permit, certification, or registration that the board is authorized to issue.
B. In addition to any other requirements established by regulation, the board may require an applicant as a condition for eligibility for licensure:
(1) To submit a full set of fingerprints, in a form and manner prescribed by the board.
(2) To permit the board to request and obtain state and national criminal history record information on the applicant.
C. In accordance with the provisions and procedures prescribed by this Section, the board may request and obtain state and national criminal history record information from the bureau and the FBI relative to any applicant for licensure whose fingerprints the board has obtained pursuant to this Section for the purpose of determining the applicant's suitability and eligibility for licensure.
D. Upon request by the board and upon the board's submission of an applicant's fingerprints, and such other identifying information as may be required, the bureau shall conduct a search of its criminal history record information relative to the applicant and report the results of its search to the board within sixty days from receipt of any request. The bureau may charge the board a processing fee pursuant to R.S. 15:587 for conducting and reporting on any such search.
Amended by Acts 1977, No. 488, §1; Acts 1982, No. 677, §1; Acts 2003, No. 987, §§1 and 3; Acts 2006, No. 596, §1.
2023 Louisiana Laws › Revised Statutes › Title 37 - Professions and Occupations › §37:1065. Exemptions

RS 37:1065 - Exemptions
A. The provisions of this Chapter shall not apply to physicians or surgeons licensed to practice in this state. But it is unlawful for any person, except those licensed to practice under the provisions of this Chapter, to have in their possession any trial lenses, trial frames, graduated test cards, or other appliances or instruments for the purpose of rendering assistance to their patrons in the selection of lenses, spectacles, or eyeglasses, or use any device, appliances, or instruments in testing the eyes for the sale of spectacles or eyeglass lenses other than the lenses actually sold, or sell or replace broken lenses in spectacles or eyeglasses except upon prescription of a licensed optometrist; or to examine for the fitting of, prescribe for, fit, adapt to, place on or remove, or direct the placing on or the removal from the human eye, contact lenses in any of their forms, including plano or zero-power contact lenses; or to sell any eyeglasses or spectacles other than those with plano power except upon the prescription of a licensed optometrist or physician, or to sell, offer for sale, dispense or distribute any contact lenses, including plano or zero-power contact lenses, except upon a valid and unexpired prescription of a licensed optometrist or physician.
B. No retail dealer shall directly or indirectly peddle, solicit, sell, or offer for sale glasses from door to door, or house to house, or away from his permanent place of business; however, nothing contained herein shall be construed to prohibit advertising for the furnishing of or the sale of eyeglass lenses, spectacles, eyeglasses, or the frames or fittings thereof nor to prohibit a retail dealer from engaging in the sale of a lens, lenses, eyeglasses, or spectacles on prescription from a licensed optometrist or physician.
Amended by Acts 1977, No. 488, §1; Acts 2006, No. 596, §1.
2023 Louisiana Laws › Revised Statutes › Title 37 - Professions and Occupations › §37:1066. Freedom of choice

RS 37:1066 - Freedom of choice
Every person shall have complete freedom of choice to use the services of optometrists licensed under this Chapter where such services are permitted by law, and no state, parish or municipal board or agency, or any officer or employee thereof, shall either directly or indirectly limit or restrict the freedom of any person to choose the services of either an optometrist, a physician or a surgeon.
Added Acts 1966, No. 402, §1.
2023 Louisiana Laws › Revised Statutes › Title 37 - Professions and Occupations › §37:1067. Chemical agents used in examination, board authorization required

RS 37:1067 - Chemical agents used in examination, board authorization required
Prior to the employment of topical ocular diagnostic pharmaceutical agents by a licensed optometrist, that licensed optometrist must submit to the Louisiana State Board of Optometry Examiners, satisfactory evidence that the optometrist has successfully completed courses approved by the board, in pharmacology as they apply to optometry, with particular emphasis on topical application of diagnostic pharmaceutical agents to the eye.
Added by Acts 1975, No. 123, §2.
2023 Louisiana Laws › Revised Statutes › Title 37 - Professions and Occupations › §37:1068. Criminal penalties

RS 37:1068 - Criminal penalties
Whoever violates any provision of this Chapter shall be enjoined from the practice of optometry and may:
(1) On first conviction, be fined not less than three hundred dollars nor more than two thousand dollars, and shall be imprisoned for not less than thirty days nor more than one hundred fifty days.
(2) On a second or subsequent conviction, regardless of whether the first offense occurred before or after the first conviction, be fined not less than six hundred dollars nor more than five thousand dollars, and shall be imprisoned for not less than ninety days nor more than one hundred fifty days.
Added by Acts 1982, No. 677, §1; Acts 2006, No. 596, §1.
2023 Louisiana Laws › Revised Statutes › Title 37 - Professions and Occupations › §37:1101. Short title

RS 37:1101 - Short title
This Chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Louisiana Mental Health Counselor Licensing Act".
Acts 1987, No. 892, §1, eff. July 20, 1987; Acts 2022, No. 341, §2A.
2023 Louisiana Laws › Revised Statutes › Title 37 - Professions and Occupations › §37:1102. Statement of purpose

RS 37:1102 - Statement of purpose
A. It is declared to be the policy of this state that those persons who render service to the public in the mental health counseling area are entitled to use the title "licensed professional counselor" or "provisional licensed professional counselor". It is further declared to be the policy of this state that activities of such persons in the mental health counseling area should be regulated for the protection of public health, safety, and welfare. Therefore, it is the purpose of this Chapter to provide for the regulation of the practice of mental health counseling in the state of Louisiana and to provide for the regulation of the use of the title "licensed professional counselor" and "provisional licensed professional counselor".
B. The legislature does further hereby find and declare that marriage and family therapy in this state is a professional practice which affects the public safety and welfare of the citizens of the state and requires appropriate regulation and control in the public interest. It is a purpose of this Chapter to establish a regulatory structure and procedures that will ensure that the public is protected from the unprofessional, improper, unauthorized, and unqualified practice of marriage and family therapy.
Acts 1987, No. 892, §1, eff. July 20, 1987; Acts 1995, No. 1301, §1; Acts 2001, No. 1195, §1; Acts 2014, No. 484, §1, eff. May 1, 2015.
2023 Louisiana Laws › Revised Statutes › Title 37 - Professions and Occupations › §37:1105. Board meetings; procedures; powers and duties

RS 37:1105 - Board meetings; procedures; powers and duties
A. The board shall be domiciled in Baton Rouge and shall hold its meetings in places to be designated by the board. The board shall hold a meeting within sixty days after October 1, 1987, and semiannually thereafter. The board shall elect from its membership a chairman, vice chairman, and secretary. The board may meet at such other times as deemed necessary by the chairman, or by the majority of its members, or by the governor. Reasonable notice of all meetings shall be given in the manner prescribed by the board. Six members of the board shall constitute a quorum at any meeting or hearing.
B. An executive director, who shall not be a member of the board, shall be employed, within the limits of the funds received by the board pursuant to R.S. 37:1106. The board shall be empowered to accept grants from foundations and institutions to carry on its functions.
C. The board shall adopt a seal which shall be affixed to all licenses issued by the board.
D. The board shall adopt such rules, regulations, and examination procedures as it may deem necessary to effect the provisions of this Chapter. The board shall adopt the Code of Ethics of the American Counseling Association, including any revisions or additions deemed appropriate or necessary by the board.
E. The board may examine, approve, revoke, suspend, and renew the license of applicants and conduct investigations into alleged violations by a licensed professional counselor, provisional licensed professional counselor, or applicant of this Chapter and rules and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto. The board shall review applications at least once a year. The board shall keep a record of its proceedings including applicant examinations, a register of applicants for licenses, and a register of licensed professional counselors which shall be made available to the public. Any person aggrieved by a ruling of the board may, within thirty days after notification, appeal to the district court for the parish of East Baton Rouge. The board shall have the power to conduct hearings on suspension or revocation of a license.
F. The board shall submit an annual report to the governor containing the financial and professional actions of the board during the past year.
G. The board shall approve, revoke, suspend, and renew the license of applicants for licensure as marriage and family therapists and the provisional license of applicants for provisional licensure as marriage and family therapists upon recommendation of the advisory committee.
Acts 1987, No. 892, §1, eff. July 20, 1987; Acts 1988, No. 225, §1; Acts 1995, No. 1301, §1; Acts 1999, No. 1159, §1; Acts 2001, No. 1195, §1; Acts 2014, No. 484, §1, eff. May 1, 2015.
2023 Louisiana Laws › Revised Statutes › Title 37 - Professions and Occupations › §37:1109. Reciprocity

RS 37:1109 - Reciprocity
Upon application accompanied by fee and without written or oral examination, the board may issue a license to any person who furnishes upon a form and in such manner as the board prescribes, evidence satisfactory to the board that he is licensed, certified, or registered as a professional counselor by another state, territorial possession of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico if the requirements for such licensure, certification, or registration are substantially equivalent to those of this Chapter.
Acts 1987, No. 892, §1, eff. July 20, 1987; Acts 1995, No. 1301, §1.
2023 Louisiana Laws › Revised Statutes › Title 37 - Professions and Occupations › §37:1111. Violations; penalties

RS 37:1111 - Violations; penalties
A. No person shall assume or use the title or designation "licensed professional counselor" or "provisional licensed professional counselor" or engage in the practice of mental health counseling unless he has in his possession a valid license issued by the board under the authority of this Chapter. Whoever violates the provisions of this Subsection shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall upon conviction be fined not more than five hundred dollars.
B. The board shall have the authority to administer oaths, to summon witnesses, and to take testimony in all matters relating to its duties. The attorney general of the state shall be the attorney of the board, but the board may employ other counsel. It shall be the duty of the district attorney of the judicial district wherein any offense is committed to prosecute violations of this Chapter. The board shall be the sole agency in this state empowered to issue licenses to professional mental health counselors.
Acts 1987, No. 892, §1, eff. July 20, 1987; Acts 2014, No. 484, §1, eff. May 1, 2015.
2023 Louisiana Laws › Revised Statutes › Title 37 - Professions and Occupations › §37:1112. Injunctive proceedings

RS 37:1112 - Injunctive proceedings
A. The board may, through the attorney general of the state of Louisiana, apply for an injunction in any court of competent jurisdiction to enjoin any person from committing any act in violation of the provisions of this Chapter, any rules or regulations adopted by the board, and any codes of ethics adopted by the board.
B. If it is established that the defendant has been or is committing an act in violation of this Chapter or of rules or regulations adopted pursuant to this Chapter, including any codes of ethics adopted by the board, the court, or any judge thereof, shall enter a decree enjoining said defendant from further committing such act.
C. In case of violation of any injunction issued under the provisions of this Section, the court, or any judges thereof, may summarily try and punish the offender for contempt of court.
D. Such injunctive proceedings shall be in addition to, and not in lieu of, all penalties and other remedies provided in this Chapter.
Acts 1987, No. 892, §1, eff. July 20, 1987; Acts 1999, No. 1159, §1.
2023 Louisiana Laws › Revised Statutes › Title 37 - Professions and Occupations › §37:1113. Exclusions

RS 37:1113 - Exclusions
The following persons and their activities are exempted from the licensing requirements of this Chapter:
(1) A certified school counselor who meets the standards prescribed by the State Department of Education and the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, while practicing school counseling within the scope of his employment by a board of education or by a private school. Nothing herein shall be construed to allow such persons to render mental health counseling services to the public unless they have also been licensed under the provisions of R.S. 37:1107.
(2) Any nonresident temporarily employed in this state to render mental health counseling services for not more than thirty days a year, who meets the requirements of R.S. 37:1107 for licensure or who holds a valid license and certificate issued under the authority of the laws of another state.
(3) Any student in an accredited educational institution, while carrying out activities that are part of the prescribed course of study, provided such activities are supervised by a professional mental health counselor. Such student shall hold himself out to the public only by clearly indicating his student status and the profession in which he is being trained.
(4) Any persons licensed, certified, or registered under any other provision of the state law, as long as the services rendered are consistent with their laws, professional training, and code of ethics, provided they do not represent themselves as licensed professional counselors or mental health counselors, unless they have also been licensed under the provisions of R.S. 37:1107.
(5) Any priest, rabbi, Christian Science practitioner, or minister of the gospel of any religious denomination, provided they are practicing within the employment of their church or religious affiliated institution and they do not represent themselves as licensed professional counselors or mental health counselors unless they have also been licensed under the provisions of R.S. 37:1107.
(6) Repealed by Acts 2014, No. 484, §2, eff. May 1, 2015.
Acts 1987, No. 892, §1, eff. July 20, 1987; Acts 1988, No. 225, §2; Acts 1995, No. 1301, §1; Acts 2014, No. 484, §2, eff. May 1, 2015.
2023 Louisiana Laws › Revised Statutes › Title 37 - Professions and Occupations › §37:1114. Privileged communications

RS 37:1114 - Privileged communications
Testimonial privileges, exceptions, and waiver with respect to communications between a licensed professional counselor or a provisional licensed professional counselor and his client are governed by the Louisiana Code of Evidence.
Acts 1987, No. 892, §1, eff. July 20, 1987; Acts 1992, No. 376, §6, eff. Jan. 1, 1993; Acts 2014, No. 484, §1, eff. May 1, 2015.
2023 Louisiana Laws › Revised Statutes › Title 37 - Professions and Occupations › §37:1115. Applicability

RS 37:1115 - Applicability
The licensing of individuals under the provisions of this Chapter shall not be construed to authorize those individuals to practice medicine or psychiatry in violation of the provisions of Part I of Chapter 15 of Title 37 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950.
Acts 1987, No. 892, §1, eff. July 20, 1987.
2023 Louisiana Laws › Revised Statutes › Title 37 - Professions and Occupations › §37:1117. Examination for licensure as marriage and family therapists

RS 37:1117 - Examination for licensure as marriage and family therapists
A. The board, through the advisory committee, shall conduct an examination for licensure as a marriage and family therapist at least once a year at a time and place designated by the board.
B. Examinations may be written or oral as determined by the board, upon recommendation by the advisory committee. In any examination, each applicant shall be designated so that his name shall not be disclosed to the advisory committee until the examinations have been graded.
C. Examinations shall include questions in such theoretical and applied fields as the board, upon recommendation by the advisory committee, deems most suitable to test an applicant's knowledge and competence to engage in the practice of marriage and family therapy.
D. Repealed by Acts 2014, No. 484, §2, eff. May 1, 2015.
Acts 2001, No. 1195, §1; Acts 2014, No. 484, §2, eff. May 1, 2015.
2023 Louisiana Laws › Revised Statutes › Title 37 - Professions and Occupations › §37:1118. Reciprocal licenses for marriage and family therapists

RS 37:1118 - Reciprocal licenses for marriage and family therapists
A. The board shall issue, upon recommendation of the advisory committee, a license to any person who has been licensed as a marriage and family therapist for at least five years in another state, province, territorial possession of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and has passed the Association of Marital and Family Therapy Regulatory Board's examination in Marital and Family Therapy, provided the applicant submits an application on forms prescribed by the board and upon payment of the required licensure fee.
B. The board shall issue, upon recommendation of the advisory committee, a license to any person licensed as a marriage and family therapist for less than five years in another state, province, territorial possession of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico whose requirements for the license are substantially equivalent to or exceed the requirements of this state, provided the applicant submits an application on forms prescribed by the board and upon payment of the required licensure fee.
Acts 2001, No. 1195, §1; Acts 2010, No. 613, §1.
2023 Louisiana Laws › Revised Statutes › Title 37 - Professions and Occupations › §37:1119. Renewal of licenses for marriage and family therapists; renewal of provisional licenses for marriage and family therapists

RS 37:1119 - Renewal of licenses for marriage and family therapists; renewal of provisional licenses for marriage and family therapists
A.(1) Licenses for marriage and family therapists shall be valid for two years and must be renewed biennially.
(2) On or before January first of the year preceding the expiration of a license, the board shall forward to the licensee a form of application for renewal.
(3) A marriage and family therapist must accrue forty clock hours of continuing education by every renewal period every two years.
(4) Upon the receipt of the completed application form, verification of completion of required continuing education units, and the required renewal fee, the advisory committee shall recommend to the board for issuance of a license renewal.
B. The board shall adopt rules pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act establishing such qualifications and requirements for the renewal of provisional licensed marriage and family therapist licenses.
Acts 2001, No. 1195, §1; Acts 2014, No. 484, §1, eff. May 1, 2015.
2023 Louisiana Laws › Revised Statutes › Title 37 - Professions and Occupations › §37:1121. Exemptions from licensure as marriage and family therapists

RS 37:1121 - Exemptions from licensure as marriage and family therapists
Nothing in this Chapter shall prevent qualified members of other professional groups as defined by the board including but not limited to clinical social workers, psychiatric nurses, psychologists, physicians, licensed professional counselors, or members of the clergy, including Christian Science practitioners, from doing or advertising that they perform work of a marriage and family therapy nature consistent with the accepted standards of their respective professions. However, no such persons shall use the title "licensed marriage and family therapist" or "provisional licensed marriage and family therapist".
Acts 2001, No. 1195, §1; Acts 2003, No. 1139, §1; Acts 2014, No. 484, §1, eff. May 1, 2015.
2023 Louisiana Laws › Revised Statutes › Title 37 - Professions and Occupations › §37:1122. Prohibited acts; penalties

RS 37:1122 - Prohibited acts; penalties
A. No person, unless licensed as a marriage and family therapist, shall advertise as being a "licensed marriage and family therapist" or a "provisional licensed marriage and family therapist".
B.(1) Any person who violates this Section shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed five hundred dollars for the first offense and one thousand dollars for each subsequent offense.
(2) In addition to the imposition of a fine, the board may proceed with an action to enjoin and restrain any unlicensed person from violating the provisions of this Chapter. The board shall not be required to post bond for such proceeding.
Acts 2001, No. 1195, §1; Acts 2014, No. 484, §1, eff. May 1, 2015.
2023 Louisiana Laws › Revised Statutes › Title 37 - Professions and Occupations › §37:1131. Purpose

RS 37:1131 - Purpose
A. The purpose of this compact is to facilitate interstate practice 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.
B. This compact is designed to achieve the following objectives:
(1) Increase public access to professional counseling services by providing for the mutual recognition of other member state licenses.
(2) Enhance the states' ability to protect the public's health and safety.
(3) Encourage the cooperation of member states in regulating multistate practice for licensed professional counselors.
(4) Support spouses of relocating active duty military personnel.
(5) Enhance the exchange of licensure, investigative, and disciplinary information among member states.
(6) Allow for the use of telehealth technology to facilitate increased access to professional counseling services.
(7) Support the uniformity of professional counseling licensure requirements throughout the states to promote public safety and public health benefits.
(8) 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.
(9) Eliminate the necessity for licenses in multiple states.
(10) Provide opportunities for interstate practice by licensed professional counselors who meet uniform licensure requirements.
Acts 2022, No. 341, §§1, 2C.
2023 Louisiana Laws › Revised Statutes › Title 37 - Professions and Occupations › §37:1135. Obtaining a new home state license based upon the privilege to practice

RS 37:1135 - Obtaining a new home state license based upon the privilege to practice
A. A licensed professional counselor may hold a license issued by the home state, which allows for a privilege to practice, in only one member state at a time.
B. If a licensed professional counselor changes his primary state of residence by moving between two member states:
(1) The licensed professional counselor shall file an application for obtaining a new home state license based on a privilege to practice, pay all applicable fees, and notify the current and new home state in accordance with applicable rules adopted by the commission.
(2) Upon receipt of an application for obtaining a new home state license by virtue of a privilege to practice, the new home state shall verify that the licensed professional counselor meets the pertinent criteria outlined in R.S. 37:1134 via the data system, without need for primary source verification except for:
(a) A Federal Bureau of Investigation fingerprint-based criminal background check if not previously performed or updated pursuant to applicable rules adopted by the commission in accordance with P.L. 92-544.
(b) Other criminal background checks as required by the new home state.
(c) Completion of any requisite jurisprudence requirements of the new home state.
(3) The former home state shall convert the former home state license into a privilege to practice once the new home state has activated the new home state license in accordance with applicable rules adopted by the commission.
(4) If a licensed professional counselor does not meet the criteria for a privilege to practice described in R.S. 37:1134, the new home state for the licensed professional counselor shall apply its requirements for issuing a new single-state license.
(5) The licensed professional counselor who obtains a new home state license by the criteria described in this Section shall pay all applicable fees to the new home state in order to be issued a new home state license.
C. If a licensed professional counselor changes his primary state of residence by moving from a member state to a nonmember state, or from a nonmember state to a member state, the state criteria shall apply for issuance of a single-state license in the new state.
D. Nothing in this compact shall interfere with a licensee's ability to hold a single-state license in multiple states; however, for the purposes of this compact, a licensee shall have only one home state license.
E. Nothing in this Section shall affect the requirements established by a member state for the issuance of a single-state license.
Acts 2022, No. 341, §1.
2023 Louisiana Laws › Revised Statutes › Title 37 - Professions and Occupations › §37:1136. Active duty military personnel or his spouse

RS 37:1136 - Active duty military personnel or his spouse
Active duty military personnel, or the spouse of an active duty member of the military, shall designate a home state where the individual has a current license in good standing. The individual may retain the home state designation during the period the service member is on active duty. Subsequent to designating a home state, the individual shall only change his home state through application for licensure in the new state or through the process outlined in R.S. 37:1135.
Acts 2022, No. 341, §1.
2023 Louisiana Laws › Revised Statutes › Title 37 - Professions and Occupations › §37:1137. Compact privilege to practice telehealth

RS 37:1137 - Compact privilege to practice telehealth
A. Member states shall recognize the right of a licensed professional counselor, licensed by a home state in accordance with R.S. 37:1133 and under rules promulgated by the commission, to practice professional counseling in any member state via telehealth under a privilege to practice as provided in the compact and rules promulgated by the commission.
B. A licensee providing professional counseling services in a remote state under the privilege to practice shall adhere to the laws and regulations of the remote state.
Acts 2022, No. 341, §1.
2023 Louisiana Laws › Revised Statutes › Title 37 - Professions and Occupations › §37:1140. Data system

RS 37:1140 - Data system
A. The commission shall provide for the development, maintenance, and utilization of a coordinated database and reporting system containing licensure, adverse action, and investigative information on all licensed individuals in member states.
B. Notwithstanding any other provision of state law to the contrary, a member state shall submit a uniform data set to the data system on all individuals to whom this compact is applicable as required by the rules of the commission, including all of the following:
(1) Identifying information.
(2) Licensure data.
(3) Adverse actions against a license or privilege to practice.
(4) Nonconfidential information related to alternative program participation.
(5) Any denial of application for licensure, and the reason for such denial.
(6) Other information that may facilitate the administration of this compact, as determined by the rules of the commission.
(7) Current significant investigative information.
C. Investigative information pertaining to a licensee in any member state shall only be available to other member states.
D. The commission shall promptly notify all member states of any adverse action taken against a licensee or an individual applying for a license. Adverse action information pertaining to a licensee in any member state shall be available to any other member state.
E. Member states contributing information to the data system may designate information that may not be shared with the public without the express permission of the contributing state.
F. Any information submitted to the data system that is subsequently required to be expunged by the laws of the member state contributing the information shall be removed from the data system.
Acts 2022, No. 341, §1.
2023 Louisiana Laws › Revised Statutes › Title 37 - Professions and Occupations › §37:1143. Date of implementation of the commission for counseling profession compact, practice and associate rules, withdrawal, and amendment

RS 37:1143 - Date of implementation of the commission for counseling profession compact, practice and associate rules, withdrawal, and amendment
A. The compact shall come into effect on the date on which the compact statute is enacted into law in the tenth member state. The provisions, which become effective at that time, shall be limited to the powers granted to the commission relating to assembly and the promulgation of rules. Thereafter, the commission shall meet and exercise rulemaking powers necessary for the implementation and administration of the compact.
B. Any state that joins the compact subsequent to the commission's initial adoption of the rules shall be subject to the rules as they exist on the date on which the compact becomes law in that state. Any rule that has been previously adopted by the commission shall have the full force and effect of law on the day the compact becomes law in that state.
C.(1) Any member state may withdraw from this compact by enacting a statute repealing the statute.
(2) A member state's withdrawal shall not take effect until six months after enactment of the repealing statute.
(3) Withdrawal shall not affect the continuing requirement of the withdrawing state's professional counseling licensing board to comply with the investigative and adverse action reporting requirements of this compact prior to the effective date of withdrawal.
D. Nothing contained in this compact shall be construed to invalidate or prevent any professional counseling licensure agreement or other cooperative arrangement between a member state and a nonmember state that does not conflict with the provisions of this compact.
E. This compact may be amended by the member states. No amendment to this compact shall become effective and binding upon any member state until it is enacted into the laws of all member states.
Acts 2022, No. 341, §1.
2023 Louisiana Laws › Revised Statutes › Title 37 - Professions and Occupations › §37:1144. Construction and severability

RS 37:1144 - Construction and severability
This compact shall be liberally construed so as to effectuate its purposes. The provisions of this compact shall be severable and if any phrase, clause, sentence, or provision of this compact is declared to be contrary to the constitution of any member state or of the United States or the applicability thereof to any government, agency, person, or circumstance is held invalid, the validity of the remainder of this compact and the applicability thereof to any government, agency, person, or circumstance shall not be affected thereby. If this compact shall be held contrary to the constitution of any member state, the compact shall remain in full force and effect as to the remaining member states and in full force and effect as to the member state affected as to all severable matters.
Acts 2022, No. 341, §1.
2023 Louisiana Laws › Revised Statutes › Title 37 - Professions and Occupations › §37:1145. Binding effect of compact and other laws

RS 37:1145 - Binding effect of compact and other laws
A. A licensee providing professional counseling services in a remote state under the privilege to practice shall adhere to the laws and regulations of the remote state.
B. Nothing in this Part shall prevent the enforcement of any other law of a member state that is not inconsistent with the compact.
C. Any laws of a member state in conflict with the compact are superseded to the extent of the conflict.
D. Any lawful actions of the commission, including all rules and bylaws promulgated by the commission, are binding upon the member states.
E. All agreements between the commission and the member states are binding in accordance with their terms.
F. In the event any provision of the compact exceeds the constitutional limits imposed on the legislature of any member state, the provision shall be ineffective to the extent of the conflict with the constitutional provision in question in that member state.
Acts 2022, No. 341, §1.
2023 Louisiana Laws › Revised Statutes › Title 37 - Professions and Occupations › §37:1162. Legislative declaration

RS 37:1162 - Legislative declaration
The practice of pharmacy in the state of Louisiana is declared a professional practice affecting the public health, safety, and welfare and is subject to regulation and control in the public interest. Therefore, any rule or regulation adopted relative to pharmacists and the operations of pharmacies, including any amendment, modification, or repeal thereof, shall be adopted as provided by the Administrative Procedure Act and shall be effective only upon approval by the respective oversight committees having jurisdiction over matters relative to pharmacists and the operation of pharmacies. It is further declared to be a matter of public interest and concern that the practice of pharmacy, as defined in this Chapter, merit and receive the confidence of the public and that only qualified persons be permitted to engage in the practice of pharmacy. This Chapter shall be liberally construed to carry out these objectives and purposes.
Acts 1999, No. 767, §1.
2023 Louisiana Laws › Revised Statutes › Title 37 - Professions and Occupations › §37:1163. Statement of purpose

RS 37:1163 - Statement of purpose
It is the purpose of this Chapter to promote, preserve, and protect the public health, safety, and welfare by and through the effective control and regulation of the practice of pharmacy; the licensure of pharmacists; and the licensure, permitting, certification, registration, control, and regulation of all persons or sites in or out of this state that sell drugs or devices to consumers and/or patients or assist in the practice of pharmacy within the state.
Acts 1999, No. 767, §1.