Music Therapy Licensing and Practice Act (SB2243)

• Establishes state licensure requirements for professional music therapists, including a baccalaureate degree or higher in music therapy, passage of an approved examination or current credential, minimum age of 18, and good moral character.

• Creates a 5-member Music Therapy Advisory Board within the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, consisting of 3 practicing music therapists, 1 licensed healthcare provider, and 1 consumer, to advise on licensure, discipline, education, and continuing education requirements.

• Requires biennial license renewal with proof of 40 hours of continuing education and, for therapists working with adults age 26 or older, at least 1 hour of training on Alzheimer's disease and dementia diagnosis, treatment, and care.

• Establishes grounds for license discipline including negligence, fraud, violation of confidentiality, failure to maintain client records, misconduct, substance abuse, and violations of the act, with penalties up to $10,000 per violation.

• Exempts from licensure other licensed healthcare professionals (physicians, nurses, psychologists, speech-language pathologists, etc.) who use music incidentally in their practice, and music therapy students in accredited programs, provided they do not represent themselves as licensed music therapists.

• Sets Act to expire January 1, 2028 under the Regulatory Sunset Act.