AN ACT to amend and reenact section 43-47-03 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to the duties and responsibilities of the board of counselor examiners.

69th Legislative Assembly (2025-26)

The bill clarifies the Board of Counselor Examiners’ duties, including licensing, ethics, continuing education, rulemaking, and new authority to set fees (including technology serv

Filed with Secretary Of State 03/18

Purpose / Intent

SB 2071 updates and clarifies the statutory duties and responsibilities of the North Dakota Board of Counselor Examiners (NDCC § 43-47-03). The primary intent is to modernize and explicitly list the board’s authorities—particularly fee-setting (including for technology services), licensing functions, ethics and continuing education requirements, and rulemaking authority.

Key provisions

The bill amends NDCC § 43-47-03 to require the board to:

Publish an annual list of names and addresses of all persons licensed under the chapter.

Approve and administer a counseling examination.

Set, by rule, and collect fees for:

filing each application for a license,
license renewal,
issuance of a duplicate license, and
technology services.

Deposit and disburse all fees and moneys collected in accordance with NDCC § 54-44-12 (state treasury procedures).

Establish continuing education requirements for license renewal.

Issue provisional or probationary licenses.

Establish a code of ethics for the practice of counseling.

Adopt rules necessary to carry out the chapter.

(These items are added/clarified as the board’s statutory duties in addition to any duties already set elsewhere in the chapter.)

Who is affected

Licensed professional counselors and counselor applicants in North Dakota (fee obligations; licensing, renewal, and potential provisional/probationary licensing).

Employers of licensed counselors and the public (annual public list of licensed counselors).

The Board of Counselor Examiners (expanded/clarified rulemaking and fee authorities; administrative responsibilities).

State treasury/administrative offices managing receipt and disbursement of board funds (per § 54-44-12).

Fiscal and operational impact

Authorizes the board to assess and collect fees by rule, including a new explicit authority to charge for “technology services.” This may generate/cover administrative and technology-related costs.

Requires deposit/disbursement of collected funds per existing state procedures (NDCC § 54-44-12).

May increase administrative workload for publishing an annual license list and implementing technology-related services/rules.

Procedural / timeline notes

Origin: Introduced by the Industry and Business Committee at the request of the Board of Counselor Examiners.

Legislative action: Passed both chambers (Senate vote 46–1; House vote 89–2).

Signed by the Governor and filed with the Secretary of State on March 18, 2025 — the bill is enacted as of that date.

Companion bill: HB 174.

Other notes

The amendment primarily codifies and clarifies administrative authorities rather than changing substantive licensing standards for practice. The explicit addition of technology services as a feeable item reflects modernization of administrative administration (e.g., online processing or related platforms).

Deposits/disbursements remain subject to the state’s fiscal controls under § 54-44-12.

Bill