Relating to licensure and certification of alcohol and drug counselors

Replaced the specific names 'Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous' with the broader term '12-step fellowships' to expand eligibility or applicability to other similar recovery groups.

Multiple dates in the bill were changed from December 31, 2026, to July 1, 2027, extending the period for the Bureau for Behavioral Health to prepare for program administration.

A new section was added requiring the Bureau for Behavioral Health to be fully able to administer the program and effectuate all provisions by no later than July 1, 2027.

A section reference number was updated from '16-67-5' to '16-67-15' in two locations.

Extended the program implementation deadline from July 1, 2026, to July 1, 2027, in multiple sections regarding eligibility, grandfathering, and state employment exceptions.

Updated the effective date for state-employed rehabilitation counselors acting as alcohol and drug counselors from July 1, 2026, to July 1, 2027.

Added a new section (16-67-24) requiring the Bureau for Behavioral Health to be fully able to administer the program by the new July 1, 2027, deadline.

Removed the previous rule-making authority section (16-67-23) that detailed specific rule requirements, replacing it with the new implementation deadline section.

The definitions section was rewritten to include new terms like 'Private practice' and 'Self-help group' and to clarify the scope of 'Practice of alcohol and drug counseling'.

Eligibility requirements for licensure were updated to require a master's degree with specific counseling hours, with an exception for those holding specific certification status by December 31, 2026.

Certification eligibility was revised to require 300 hours of supervised training, three years of supervised experience (or a master's degree in lieu of one year), 360 hours of education, and passing an exam.

New grandfathering provisions were added to allow current certified individuals to transition to the new system by December 31, 2026, and to allow experienced workers without degrees to become certified by passing an exam by that date.

The date for the Bureau for Behavioral Health to be fully able to administer the program was changed from June 12, 2026, to July 1, 2027.

Disciplinary actions were explicitly defined to include suspension, revocation, or refusal to issue a license for endangering public health, safety, or welfare.

The definition of 'Department' was changed from the West Virginia Department of Health to the West Virginia Department of Human Services.

The definition of 'Commissioner' was changed from the Commissioner of the Bureau for Public Health to the Commissioner of the Bureau for Behavioral Health.

A new requirement was added mandating that the Bureau for Behavioral Health must be fully able to administer the licensure and certification program by no later than July 1, 2027.

The bill text was finalized with the removal of committee referral notes and the addition of official enrollment signatures and legislative metadata.