Section 4999.59.

(a) This section applies to a person who applies for examination eligibility or registration between January 1, 2011, and December 31, 2013, inclusive, who meets both of the following requirements:

(1) At the time of application, holds a valid license described in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 4999.58.

(2) Has held the license described in paragraph (1) for less than two years immediately preceding the date of application.

(b) Experience gained outside of California shall be accepted toward the licensure requirements if it is substantially equivalent to that required by this chapter, if the applicant complies with Section 4999.40, if applicable, and if the applicant has gained a minimum of 250 hours of supervised experience in direct counseling within California while registered as an intern with the board. The board shall consider hours of experience obtained in another state during the six-year period immediately preceding the applicant's initial licensure in that state as a professional clinical counselor.

(c) Education gained while residing outside of California shall be accepted toward the licensure requirements if it is substantially equivalent to the education requirements of this chapter, and if the applicant has completed the training or coursework required under subdivision (e) of Section 4999.32, which includes, in addition to the course described in subparagraph (I) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) of Section 4999.32, an 18-hour course in California law and professional ethics for professional clinical counselors.

(d) For purposes of this section, the board may, in its discretion, accept education as substantially equivalent if the applicant's education meets the requirements of Section 4999.32. If the applicant's degree does not contain the content or the overall units required by Section 4999.32, the board may, in its discretion, accept the applicant's education as substantially equivalent if the following criteria are satisfied:

(1) The applicant's degree contains the required number of practicum units under paragraph (3) of subdivision (c) of Section 4999.32.

(2) The applicant remediates his or her specific deficiency by completing the course content and units required by Section 4999.32.

(3) The applicant's degree otherwise complies with this section.

(e) An applicant who obtained his or her license or registration under another jurisdiction by taking a national examination that is required by the board may apply for licensure with the board without retaking that examination if both of the following conditions are met:

(1) The applicant obtained a passing score on the national licensing examination that is required by the board.

(2) The applicant's license or registration in that jurisdiction is in good standing at the time of his or her application and has not been revoked, suspended, surrendered, denied, or otherwise restricted or encumbered as a result of any disciplinary proceeding brought by the licensing authority of that jurisdiction.

(f) This section shall become inoperative on January 1, 2014, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, which is enacted before January 1, 2014, deletes or extends that date.

(Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 800, Sec. 13.5. Effective January 1, 2013. Repealed as of January 1, 2014, by its own provisions.)