Minnesota Session Laws - 2002, Regular Session

                            CHAPTER 354-S.F.No. 2998 
                  An act relating to occupations and professions; 
                  waiving the written case presentation and oral 
                  examination component of the licensing requirements 
                  for certain alcohol and drug counselors; amending 
                  Minnesota Statutes 2001 Supplement, section 148C.11, 
                  subdivision 3. 
        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
           Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 2001 Supplement, section 
        148C.11, subdivision 3, is amended to read: 
           Subd. 3.  [FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED TRIBES; ETHNIC MINORITIES.] 
        (a) Alcohol and drug counselors licensed to practice alcohol and 
        drug counseling according to standards established by federally 
        recognized tribes, while practicing under tribal jurisdiction, 
        are exempt from the requirements of this chapter.  In practicing 
        alcohol and drug counseling under tribal jurisdiction, 
        individuals licensed under that authority shall be afforded the 
        same rights, responsibilities, and recognition as persons 
        licensed pursuant to this chapter. 
           (b) The commissioner shall develop special licensing 
        criteria for issuance of a license to alcohol and drug 
        counselors who:  (1) practice alcohol and drug counseling with a 
        member of an ethnic minority population or with a person with a 
        disability as defined by rule; or (2) are employed by agencies 
        whose primary agency service focus addresses ethnic minority 
        populations or persons with a disability as defined by rule.  
        These licensing criteria may differ from the licensing criteria 
        specified in section 148C.04.  To develop, implement, and 
        evaluate the effect of these criteria, the commissioner shall 
        establish a committee comprised of, but not limited to, 
        representatives from the Minnesota commission serving deaf and 
        hard-of-hearing people, the council on affairs of Chicano/Latino 
        people, the council on Asian-Pacific Minnesotans, the council on 
        Black Minnesotans, the council on disability, and the Indian 
        affairs council.  The committee does not expire. 
           (c) The commissioner shall issue a license to an applicant 
        who (1) is an alcohol and drug counselor who is exempt under 
        paragraph (a) from the requirements of this chapter; (2) has at 
        least 2,000 hours of alcohol and drug counselor experience as 
        defined by the core functions; and (3) meets the licensing 
        requirements that are in effect on the date of application under 
        section 148C.04, subdivision 3 or 4, except the written case 
        presentation and oral examination component under section 
        148C.04, subdivision 3, clause (2), or 4, clause (1), item 
        (ii).  When applying for a license under this paragraph, an 
        applicant must follow the procedures for admission to licensure 
        specified under section 148C.0351.  A person who receives a 
        license under this paragraph must complete the written case 
        presentation and satisfactorily pass the oral examination 
        component under section 148C.04, subdivision 3, clause (2), or 
        4, clause (1), item (ii), at the earliest available opportunity 
        after the commissioner begins administering oral examinations.  
        The commissioner may suspend or restrict a person's license 
        according to section 148C.09 if the person fails to complete the 
        written case presentation and satisfactorily pass the oral 
        examination.  This paragraph expires July 1, 2004. 
           Presented to the governor April 30, 2002 
           Signed by the governor May 1, 2002, 2:35 p.m.