West Virginia Senate Bill SB 333

West Virginia 2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/15/26
• Refer: 1/15/26

Caption

Board of Examiners in Counseling rule relating to licensed professional counselor license renewal and continuing professional education requirements

Summary

SB 333 concerns a rule of the West Virginia Board of Examiners in Counseling governing licensed professional counselor license renewal and continuing professional education requirements. Based on the bill caption, the measure appears to address the standards counselors must meet to renew their licenses, including any continuing education obligations tied to maintaining active licensure. Because the bill text was not available in the provided materials, the specific regulatory changes are not identifiable from the record here. The bill’s practical effect would be to amend or approve the board rule that sets renewal and continuing education requirements for licensed professional counselors, which would directly affect counselors regulated by the board and the agency that administers licensure compliance.

Impact

The bill would affect state administrative law governing the Board of Examiners in Counseling and the licensure framework for professional counselors in West Virginia. Depending on the rule changes, it could alter renewal deadlines, continuing education hours, acceptable course content, reporting or audit requirements, or exemptions related to license maintenance. Its impact would fall primarily on licensed professional counselors, applicants for renewal, and the board responsible for enforcement and rule administration.

Sentiment

No committee transcript or vote record was provided, so there is no direct evidence of debate, support, or opposition in the available materials. The bill’s placement in the Judiciary Committee suggests it is being reviewed as a regulatory or statutory oversight matter rather than as a highly controversial policy change. On the limited record available, sentiment cannot be reliably characterized beyond the fact that the measure advanced to Judiciary for further consideration.

Contention

No specific points of contention are documented in the provided materials. In bills of this type, the most likely issues would be whether continuing education requirements are too burdensome, whether renewal standards are sufficiently clear, and whether the board’s rule exceeds or properly implements its authority. However, none of those concerns are confirmed here because no discussion transcript or vote explanation was included.