SESSION WATCH
Died HOUSE · SESSION 2026

No. HB 631

Marriage and Family Therapists Licensure by Endorsement
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SPONSOR
Esposito
FILED BY
Tiffany Esposito — District 77, Republican [search donations]
EFFECTIVE
7/1/2026
DIED IN
Health Professions & Programs Subcommittee

Filed under Healthcare.

PROVIDED SUMMARY

Marriage and Family Therapists Licensure by Endorsement; Requires Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy, & Mental Health Counseling to issue license by endorsement to certain applicants.

Full bill text →

Plain English Summary

AI-GENERATED
Requires automatic licenses for out-of-state marriage and family therapists.

Florida's therapy licensing board must issue a marriage and family therapy license to anyone who already holds an active, unencumbered license in good standing from another state or U.S. territory.

The applicant must also submit a complete application and pay the fee, disclose every other mental health license they hold anywhere, and attest they aren't currently under discipline in another jurisdiction.

Anyone disciplined anywhere in the past 5 years does not qualify for this automatic path and would have to seek Florida licensure through some other route.

KEY PROVISIONS
§ 1 Board must issue a license by endorsement to qualifying applicants majors. 491.019

AIThe board must issue a marriage and family therapy license to any applicant who meets all five listed criteria -- this is a mandatory duty, not discretionary approval.

“The board shall issue a license to practice marriage and family therapy to an applicant who meets all of the following criteria” bill text, line 14 →
§ 2 Requires an active out-of-state license and disclosure of all others majors. 491.019

AIThe applicant must hold an active, unencumbered marriage and family therapy license in good standing from another state, DC, or a U.S. territory, and disclose every other mental health license held anywhere.

“Holds an active, unencumbered marriage and family therapy license in good standing issued by another state, the District of Columbia, or a territory” bill text, line 19 →
§ 3 Bars anyone disciplined in the past 5 years from this path majors. 491.019

AIAn applicant who has had any disciplinary action taken against them in the 5 years before applying does not qualify for licensure by endorsement.

“Has not had disciplinary action taken against him or her in the 5 years immediately preceding the date of submission of the application.” bill text, line 29 →
§ 4 Requires attesting to no pending disciplinary proceeding moderates. 491.019

AIThe applicant must attest they are not currently the subject of a disciplinary proceeding anywhere related to marriage and family therapy practice, separate from the 5-year clean-record requirement.

“is not, at the time of submission of the application, the subject of a disciplinary proceeding in a jurisdiction in which he or she holds” bill text, line 24 →
TIMELINE
3/13/2026
Died in Health Professions & Programs Subcommittee
1/13/2026
1st Reading (Original Filed Version)
12/12/2025
Now in Health Professions & Programs Subcommittee
12/12/2025
Referred to Health & Human Services Committee
12/12/2025
Referred to Health Professions & Programs Subcommittee
12/3/2025
Filed
STATUTES IT CHANGES
s. 491.019
+150 / −0