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HB 26-1228

signed

Marriage & Family Therapy Clinical Requirements

Plain-English Summary

AI-generated

House Bill 26-1228 changes the requirements for becoming a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT) in Colorado. Currently, individuals need an internship or practicum as part of their degree program and must complete at least 1,500 supervised clinical hours to be licensed. The bill now allows those without an internship or practicum to also become LMFT candidates but requires them to do an additional 700 supervised clinical hours. This affects therapists who completed their degrees before the requirement for internships was in place or through programs that didn't include one. Since the bill has been signed, these new rules are now law and will impact future licensing processes for marriage and family therapists.

Official Summary

The act allows an applicant for licensure as a marriage and family therapist (LMFT) whose master's or doctoral degree program did not include an internship or practicum to also be registered as an LMFT candidate but requires these candidates to complete an additional 700 supervised clinical hours to become an LMFT.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Details

Chamber
House
First action
2026-05-26
Latest action
2026-02-18
Last action desc.
Introduced In House - Assigned to Business Affairs & Labor
OpenStates
View source ↗

Sponsors

Topics

Professions & Occupations

Related Legislation

This bill affects (11)

amends
HB 23-1031(2023A)· signed
Mental Health Professionals Reporting Exemption
amends
SB 23-170(2023A)· signed
Extreme Risk Protection Order Petitions
amends
SB 24-115(2024A)· signed
Mental Health Professionals Practice Requirements
amends
HB 24-1045(2024A)· signed
Treatment for Substance Use Disorders
amends
HB 23-1070(2023A)· signed
Mental Health Professionals Practice Requirements
amends
HB 22-1307(2022A)· signed
Mental Health Professionals Technical Changes
amends
HB 22-1295(2022A)· signed
Department Early Childhood And Universal Preschool Program
relates
SB 24-015(2024A)· signed
Licensed Professional Counselors in Communities
relates
HB 26-1002(2026A)· signed
Provider Participation in Health Insurance
relates
HB 22-1270(2022A)· signed
Change Term Name-based Criminal History Record Check
relates
HB 23-1071(2023A)· signed
Licensed Psychologist Prescriptive Authority

Affected by (1)

relates
HB 26-1002(2026A)· signed
Provider Participation in Health Insurance

Votes

BILL
2026-04-14 · House · pass — Yes: — · No: — · Other: —
Refer House Bill 26-1228 to the Committee of the Whole and with a recommendation that it be placed on the consent calendar.
2026-04-09 · Senate · pass — Yes: — · No: — · Other: —
Refer House Bill 26-1228 to the Committee of the Whole.
2026-03-04 · House · pass — Yes: — · No: — · Other: —