§ 3275h. Adverse actions
(a) In addition to the other powers conferred by state law, a remote state shall have
the authority, in accordance with existing state due process law, to:
(1)(A) Take adverse action against a licensed professional counselor’s privilege to practice
within that member state.
(B) Issue subpoenas for both hearings and investigations that require the attendance and
testimony of witnesses as well as the production of evidence. Subpoenas issued by
a licensing board in a member state for the attendance and testimony of witnesses
or the production of evidence from another member state shall be enforced in the latter
state by any court of competent jurisdiction, according to the practice and procedure
of that court applicable to subpoenas issued in proceedings pending before it. The
issuing authority shall pay any witness fees, travel expenses, mileage, and other
fees required by the service statutes of the state in which the witnesses or evidence
are located.
(2) Only the home state shall have the power to take adverse action against a licensed
professional counselor’s license issued by the home state.
(b) For purposes of taking adverse action, the home state shall give the same priority
and effect to reported conduct received from a member state as it would if the conduct
had occurred within the home state. In so doing, the home state shall apply its own
state laws to determine appropriate action.
(c) The home state shall complete any pending investigations of a licensed professional
counselor who changes primary state of residence during the course of the investigations.
The home state shall also have the authority to take appropriate action or actions
and shall promptly report the conclusions of the investigations to the administrator
of the data system. The administrator of the coordinated licensure information system
shall promptly notify the new home state of any adverse actions.
(d) A member state, if otherwise permitted by state law, may recover from the affected
licensed professional counselor the costs of investigations and dispositions of cases
resulting from any adverse action taken against that licensed professional counselor.
(e) A member state may take adverse action based on the factual findings of the remote
state, provided that the member state follows its own procedures for taking the adverse
action.
(f) Joint investigations.
(1) In addition to the authority granted to a member state by its respective professional
counseling practice act or other applicable state law, any member state may participate
with other member states in joint investigations of licensees.
(2) Member states shall share any investigative, litigation, or compliance materials in
furtherance of any joint or individual investigation initiated under the Compact.
(g) If adverse action is taken by the home state against the license of a licensed professional
counselor, the licensed professional counselor’s privilege to practice in all other
member states shall be deactivated until all encumbrances have been removed from the
state license. All home state disciplinary orders that impose adverse action against
the license of a licensed professional counselor shall include a statement that the
licensed professional counselor’s privilege to practice is deactivated in all member
states during the pendency of the order.
(h) If a member state takes adverse action, it shall promptly notify the administrator
of the data system. The administrator of the data system shall promptly notify the
home state of any adverse actions by remote states.
(i) Nothing in this Compact shall override a member state’s decision that participation
in an alternative program may be used in lieu of adverse action. (Added 2023, No. 34, § 1, eff. July 1, 2024.)