ASSEMBLY REGULATED PROFESSIONS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 543

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  JANUARY 27, 2020

      The Assembly Regulated Professions Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Assembly Bill No. 543.          As amended, the bill updates the training requirements for psychologists.  Current law states that two years of professional employment is required of an applicant to qualify for licensure from the State Board of Psychological Examiners (the “board”). Under the bill, the term “employment” is changed to “experience” to account for professional opportunities that may not have entailed employment.

      Current law also requires at least one year of the professional employment to be completed after receiving a doctoral degree. As amended, the bill provides that for individuals applying for licensure after October 1, 2020, or six months after the effective date of the bill, whichever is sooner, the required two years of full time professional experience, or any portion thereof, may be completed prior to receiving the requisite doctoral degree.

      The bill also provides that an applicant who has applied to the board but is not yet licensed by the effective date of the bill may update the application for licensure with professional experience earned prior to the applicant receiving a doctoral degree.

      This bill was pre-filed for introduction in the 2020-2021 session pending technical review.  As reported, the bill includes the changes required by technical review, which has been performed.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amended the bill to change the date under which the revised professional experience requirement may apply from January 1, 2020 to October 1, 2020. Additionally, the committee amended the bill to change the reference to a “date of passage” to “effective date.”