H.B. No. 2818
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to the practice of marriage and family therapy.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 502.002(6), Occupations Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
               (6)  "Marriage and family therapy" means providing
  professional therapy services to individuals, families, or married
  couples, alone or in groups, that involve applying family systems
  theories and techniques. The term includes the evaluation,
  diagnostic assessment, and remediation of mental, cognitive,
  affective, behavioral, or relational dysfunction, disease, or
  disorder in the context of marriage or family systems and may
  include the use of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
  Disorders and the International Classification of Diseases.  The
  practice of marriage and family therapy does not constitute the
  practice of medicine and does not include prescribing medication,
  treating a physical disease, or providing any service outside the
  scope of practice of a licensed marriage and family therapist or a
  licensed marriage and family therapist associate.
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 2818 was passed by the House on May 4
  ,
  2017, by the following vote:  Yeas 143, Nays 0, 2 present, not
  voting.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 2818 was passed by the Senate on May
  24, 2017, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0.
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate    
  APPROVED:  _____________________
                     Date          
   
            _____________________
                   Governor