BRIEF DESCRIPTION
The Board of Professional Counselors proposes to change regulations to add associate counselor license requirements, approved counselor supervisor certifications, supervision requirements, renewals, reinstatements, continuing education, and definitions.
Summary of proposed changes: The Board of Professional Counselors (Board) proposes to adopt regulation changes in Title 12, Chapter 62 of the Alaska Administrative Code, dealing with adding regulations for the new associate counselor license type; and updating approved counselor supervisor certification requirements, renewal requirements, reinstatement requirements, supervision requirements, continuing education, and definitions, including the following:
1. 12 AAC 62.145. Associate counselor license, is proposed to be added to create regulations and requirements for initial licensure for the new associate counselor license type that went into effect on July 1, 2025 under House Bill (HB) 126 (ch. 44, SLA 2024).
2. 12 AAC 62.200. Approved counselor supervisor certification, is proposed to add requirements to regulations for an approved counselor supervisor certification that were repealed from statute by HB 126, and to add reasons for denial of a certification.
3. 12 AAC 62.220. Supervised experience, is proposed to update verbiage in accordance with HB 126, and to add clarification that supervision must be earned only while licensed as an associate counselor.
4. 12 AAC 62.225. Supervision plan, is proposed to be added to create requirements for the supervision plan. These regulations provide guidance for supervisors and supervisees for starting supervision, changing supervisors, and more.
5. 12 AAC 62.300. License renewal, is proposed to be amended to clarify that renewal is now for professional counselor licenses, associate counselor licenses, and approved counselor supervisor certifications.
6. 12 AAC 62.340. License and certification reinstatement, is proposed to be amended to delegate the authority for reinstatement to be approved by the department, to amend existing requirements for reinstatement, and to create requirements for approved counselor supervisor certification reinstatement.
7. 12 AAC 62.350. Failure to meet continuing education requirements, is proposed to be amended to update the definition for "engagement in active duty military service".
8. 12 AAC 62.990. Definitions, is proposed to be amended to add definitions for the term "competency" for additional clarity in regulation.
Written comments: You may comment on the proposed regulation changes, including the potential costs to private persons of complying with the proposed changes, by submitting written comments to Stefanie Davis, Regulations Specialist, Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing, P.O. Box 110806, Juneau, AK 99811-0806. Additionally, the Board will accept comments by facsimile at (907) 465-2974 and by electronic mail at RegulationsAndPublicComment@alaska.gov. Comments may also be submitted through the Alaska Online Public Notice System by accessing this notice on the system at http://notice.alaska.gov/223525, and using the comment link.
Written comment deadline: The written comments must be received not later than 4:30pm on May 26, 2026.
Questions: You may submit written questions relevant to the proposed action to Stefanie Davis, Regulations Specialist, Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing, P.O. Box 110806, Juneau, AK 99811-0806 or by e-mail at RegulationsAndPublicComment@alaska.gov. The questions must be received at least 10 days before the end of the public comment period. The Board will aggregate its response to substantially similar questions and make the questions and responses available on the Alaska Online Public Notice System and on the Board's website at https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/web/cbpl/ProfessionalLicensing/ProfessionalCounselors.
Public nature of comments and questions: Public comments and questions, once submitted, are public records and subject to disclosure under the Alaska Public Records Act. See AS 40.25.100 - 40.25.295. Do NOT include in your comments or questions any information that you do not want made public.
Accommodations: If you are a person with a disability who needs a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this process, please contact Stefanie Davis at (907) 465-2537 or RegulationsAndPublicComment@alaska.gov not later than May 18, 2026 to ensure that any necessary accommodations can be provided.
Obtaining copies of proposed regulations: A copy of the proposed regulation changes is available on the Alaska Online Public Notice System and by contacting Stefanie Davis at (907) 465-2537, RegulationsAndPublicComment@alaska.gov, or at https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/web/portals/5/pub/Regulations/PCO-0624.pdf.
Final version of regulations: After the public comment period ends, the Board will either adopt the proposed regulation changes or other provisions dealing with the same subject, without further notice, or decide to take no action. The language of the final regulation may be different from that of the proposed regulation. You should comment during the time allowed if your interests could be affected.
Statutory authority: AS 08.29.020; AS 08.29.110; AS 08.29.140
Statutes being implemented, interpreted, or made specific: AS 08.29.020; AS 08.29.110; AS 08.29.120; AS 08.29.140; AS 08.29.400
Fiscal information: The proposed regulation changes are not expected to require an increased appropriation.
How to receive further notices: For each occupation regulated under the Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing, the Division keeps a list of individuals or organizations who are interested in the regulations of that occupation. The Division automatically sends a Notice of Proposed Regulations to the parties on the appropriate list each time there is a proposed change in an occupation's regulations in Title 12 of the Alaska Administrative Code. If you would like your address added to or removed from such a list, send your request to the Division at the address above, giving your name, either your e-mail address or mailing address (as you prefer for receiving notices), and the occupational area in which you are interested.
Individuals can also sign up to receive automated notifications of all State of Alaska notices, including public notice for regulation changes, by subscribing to the Alaska Online Public Notices System: https://aws.state.ak.us/OnlinePublicNotices/Default.aspx.
Date: 4/22/2026
Stefanie Davis, Regulations Specialist
Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing
ADDITIONAL REGULATION NOTICE INFORMATION
(AS 44.62.190(d))
1. Adopting agency: Board of Professional Counselors – Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development, Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing.
2. General subject of regulation: Add regulations for associate counselor license, approved counselor supervisor certifications, renewals, continuing education, supervision plans, and definitions.
3. Citation of regulation: 12 AAC 62.145 through 12 AAC 62.990.
4. Department of Law file number: 2024200515.
5. Reason for the proposed action: Compliance with new or changed state statute (HB 126).
6. Appropriation/Allocation: Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing - #2360.
7. Estimated annual cost to comply with the proposed action to:
A private person: $200 associate counselor application fee; $150 associate counselor initial license fee; $150 associate counselor renewal fee; $200 approved counselor supervisor initial certification fee; $200 approved counselor supervisor renewal fee.
Another state agency: None known.
A municipality: None known.
8. Cost of implementation to the state agency and available funding (in thousands of dollars):
No costs are expected in FY 2026 or in subsequent years.
9. The name of the contact person for the regulation:
Miriam Honea, Licensing Examiner
Board of Professional Counselors
(907) 269-6349
ProfessionalCounselors@Alaska.Gov
10. The origin of the proposed action: Staff of state agency.
11. Date: 4/22/2026
Prepared by: Stefanie Davis, Regulations Specialist
(907) 465-2537