FISCAL NOTE

Senate Bill 99 as introduced would allow the Alabama Board of Examiners in Counseling to join the interstate Counseling Compact to increase access to professional counseling services and provide uniformity in certain licensing requirements and practices among member states.

This bill: (1) would increase the financial obligations of the Board by an undetermined amount dependent on the amount of the annual assessment levied by the Counseling Compact Commission on each member state to cover the costs of its operations, activities, staff, and annual budget as authorized in the compact; (2) could decrease the amount of application and license fees collected from out-of-state professional counselors who decide to become licensed in their home state and practice in Alabama under the compact privilege by an estimated $16,700; and (3) could increase revenues collected from licensing fees issued to for the privilege to practice in the State and from any fines that may be assessed on professional counselors licensed pursuant to the provisions of this bill.