Alcohol and drug abuse counselors.

Existing law provides for the certification and licensure of various healing arts professionals, including, but not limited to, setting forth the scope of practice, establishing the regulatory boards, departments, or bureaus, and setting forth the powers and duties of these entities. This bill would establish similar certification and licensure provisions relating to alcohol and drug counselors to be administered by the State Department of Public Health, and would authorize the department to commence issuing these licenses and certificates on January 1, 2014. The bill would make a violation of certain of these provisions a misdemeanor, and would specify various unlawful acts related to its provisions. The bill would authorize the department to assess related fees, and would require deposit of the fees into the Alcohol and Drug Counselor License Fund, which the bill would establish for expenditure for the purposes of this bill, upon appropriation by the Legislature. By establishing a new crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.