HB1254 revises Arkansas law governing the practice of psychology by creating a new category of licensure, the “licensed psychological practitioner,” and by phasing out independent-practice authority for psychological examiners. The bill sets out education, supervised training, examination, background-check, and ethics requirements for the new license, including a 60-hour master’s degree in health services psychology, a practicum/internship, a year of residency, and 3,000 hours of post-degree supervised clinical training. It also allows qualified practitioners to work independently in a defined scope that includes evidence-based therapy, diagnosis and treatment of mental and emotional disorders, assessment, psychoeducational services, consultation, and supervision of certain master’s-level clinicians, while excluding neuropsychological, forensic, and projective personality assessments.
The bill changes state licensing law in several ways. It amends definitions in the psychology code, adds a new licensing section for licensed psychological practitioners, and limits future issuance of new psychological examiner licenses after December 31, 2026. Psychological examiners licensed before December 31, 1997 may retain independent practice rights under existing exceptions, and those licensed after that date may qualify for independent practice only if they meet specified training and supervision requirements; however, examiners licensed after December 31, 2024 are barred from obtaining independent-practice status. The bill also provides that licensed psychological practitioners may be compensated by Medicare, Arkansas Medicaid, private insurance, health benefit plans, or healthcare providers, which may affect reimbursement and provider participation in mental health services.
The overall sentiment reflected in the voting history appears strongly favorable. The bill passed the House 93-0, the Senate 28-1, and later received 96-0 concurrence on a Senate amendment, indicating broad bipartisan support and little visible opposition in floor votes. No committee transcript material was provided, so the available record suggests the measure was generally viewed as a professional licensing modernization or workforce expansion bill rather than a controversial policy change.
The main point of contention embedded in the text is the transition away from independent practice for psychological examiners and the creation of a new licensure pathway with different standards. The bill preserves some rights for long-licensed examiners, but it narrows future independent-practice opportunities and ends new psychological examiner licenses after 2026. That structure could raise concerns among current examiners, training programs, or professional groups about grandfathering, scope of practice, and whether the new requirements are too restrictive or, conversely, whether they better protect patients by standardizing training and supervision.
HB1254 amends Arkansas’s psychology licensing statutes to establish a new independent-practice license for licensed psychological practitioners, while limiting and eventually ending new psychological examiner licenses and independent-practice privileges for that category. It affects the Arkansas Psychology Board’s licensing authority, the qualifications required for practice, the scope of services that may be provided independently, and reimbursement rules for services billed to public and private payers.
The bill appears to have enjoyed broad support across both chambers, as shown by overwhelming third-reading votes and unanimous or near-unanimous concurrence on the Senate amendment. The voting pattern suggests the measure was generally seen as a positive professional regulation and mental health workforce bill, with only minimal recorded opposition.
The central policy tension is between expanding an independent licensure pathway for licensed psychological practitioners and restricting the long-term independent-practice role of psychological examiners. Potentially affected groups include current and future psychological examiners, licensed psychological practitioners, the Arkansas Psychology Board, and payers such as Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurers. The bill’s grandfathering provisions and cutoff dates for new examiner licenses may be viewed as protective by existing practitioners but limiting by those seeking the older license path.