To amend regulations to separate the application fee and the licensing fee and allow the licensing fee to be refundable if an applicant is unable to complete the licensure process.

The petition will be published in the Register of Regulations and circulated to interested parties for comment until September 1, 2010. Following the comment period, the Board will consider the request for amendments at its next meeting scheduled for November 5, 2010.

The Board of Counseling voted to reject the petition for rulemaking. By having the licensure fee including with the application fee, a person is able to be licensed immediately upon application approval. If the fees were separated, it would be necessary for the Board to notify an applicant that his/her application had been approved and a licensure fee was now due. A two-step process would likely delay licensure and the ability to practice the profession by a couple of weeks. The applications that are denied are typically those that are problematic and consume more staff and board resources that are represented by the application processing fee.