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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, Second Regular Session
behavior analysts; committee; regulatory authority
Purpose
Effective January 1, 2027, requires the Arizona Board of Psychologist Examiners (Board) to delegate responsibilities relating to licensing and regulating behavior analysts to the Committee of Behavior Analysts (Committee). Restructures the membership of the Board.
Background
The Board licenses and regulates the professions of psychology and behavior analysis. Current statute establishes the Board, consisting of 10 Governor-appointed members. Seven members must be licensed professionals regulated by the Board and three members must not be eligible for licensure. Additionally, the Board must include the following members: 1) at least two members who are licensed psychologists and who are full-time faculty members from universities in Arizona with a doctoral program in psychology; 2) at least three members who are psychologists in professional practice; and 3) at least two members who are behavior analysts in professional practice and members of the Committee.
The Committee is established within the Board and consists of five Governor-appointed members. All members of the Committee must be licensed behavior analysts in professional practice, two of whom must be members of the Board. The Committee must make recommendations to the Board on all matters relating to the licensing and regulation of behavior analysts. The Board must receive and consider recommendations from the Committee regarding licensing and regulating behavioral analysts before taking action.
Behavior analysis is the design, implementation and evaluation of systematic environmental modifications by a behavior analyst to produce socially significant improvements in human behavior based on the principles of behavior identified through the experimental analysis of behavior (A.R.S. §§ 32-2062; 32-2063; 32-2091; and 32-2091.15).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Restructures the Board to an 8-member Board, rather than a 10-member Board.
2. Decreases, from seven to five, the number of licensed professionals on the Board.
3. Removes the requirement for two members of the Board to be behavior analysts in professional practice.
4. Clarifies that the Board must prescribe the forms, content and manner of application for both initial and temporary licensure.
5. Removes the requirement for the Board to receive and consider regulatory changes pertaining to the practice of behavior analysts and recommendations from the Committee.
6. Requires the Board to delegate the authority relating to licensing and regulating behavior analysts to the Committee.
7. Requires the Board to adopt substantive policy statements for each specific licensing and regulatory authority the Board delegates to the Committee.
8. Makes technical and conforming changes.
9. Becomes effective on January 1, 2027.
Prepared by Senate Research
January 23, 2026
JT/HD/ci