Vote: Floor vote
NY SenateMay 13, 2026Result: passed
(60) (0) (0) (3)
Senate bill · S8899 (2025-26)
Relates to supervision by certain marriage and family therapists and mental health counselors
PassedLatest action May 20, 2026
New York State Senate
Same as A9321, the matching bill in the Assembly.
Summary
Provides for supervision by certain marriage and family therapists and mental health counselors who meet certain experience requirements.
Summary from NY Open Legislation. How we handle summaries
Amends the Education Law.
From NY Open Legislation, the NY Senate and Assembly, and official rosters. This record was last updated Oct 22, 2026. About our data
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Purpose, from the sponsor's memo
Section 1 of the bill amends Education Law § 8402(3)(c) to permit a licensed and registered marriage and family therapist to provide post- master's supervised experience to a mental health counseling applicant, provided the supervisor: -has been licensed and registered for at least three years; -holds the diagnostic privilege under Education Law § 8401-a; and -has completed specified coursework or continuing education in clinical supervision, professional orientation, and ethics consistent with SED requirements. Section 2 of the bill amends Education Law § 8403(3)(c) to permit a licensed and registered mental health counselor to supervise a marriage and family therapy applicant under identical eligibility standards-three years of licensure, diagnostic privilege, and SEDdefined supervision training. Section 3 of the bill establishes the effective date.
Filed with the bill. Read it on nysenate.gov (opens in a new tab)
Where it stands
Passed the legislature and is awaiting a signature.
- Introduced
- In committee
- Up for a vote
- Passed one chamber
- Passed
- Enacted
Committee
Higher Education · New York State Assembly
Also referred to Higher Education · New York State Senate.
Cosponsors
Al Taylor, Albert A. Stirpe and 73 more on Agora
Showing the cosponsors who are on Agora, A to Z. The official record may list more.
Read on NY Senate (opens in a new tab)- Democratic75
Shown in neutral colors by design; Agora is non-partisan.
- Al Taylor
- Albert A. Stirpe
- Alex Bores
- Amanda Septimo
- Amy Paulin
- Andrew Hevesi
- Angelo Santabarbara
- Aron Wieder
- Brian Cunningham
- Carrie Woerner
- Catalina Cruz
- Chantel Jackson
Show the full list (75 names)Show fewer cosponsors
- Charles Fall
- Charles Lavine
- Christopher Eachus
- Dana Levenberg
- David Weprin
- Demond Meeks
- Donna Lupardo
- Emerita Torres
- Gabriella Romero
- George Alvarez
- Grace Lee
- Jaime R. Williams
- Jeffrey Dinowitz
- Jen Lunsford
- Jenifer Rajkumar
- Jo Anne Simon
- John T. McDonald III
- John Zaccaro Jr.
- Jonathan Jacobson
- Jonathan Rivera
- Jordan Wright
- Judy Griffin
- Kalman Yeger
- Karen McMahon
- Karines Reyes
- Khaleel Anderson
- Kwani O'Pharrow
- Landon C. Dais
- Larinda Hooks
- Latrice Walker
- Manny De Los Santos
- Marianne Buttenschon
- MaryJane Shimsky
- Micah Lasher
- Michael Benedetto
- Michael Cashman
- Michaelle C. Solages
- Monique Chandler-Waterman
- Nader Sayegh
- Nikki Lucas
- Nily Rozic
- Noah Burroughs
- Pamela J. Hunter
- Patrick Burke
- Patrick J. Carroll
- Paula Kay
- Phil Steck
- Rebecca Kassay
- Rebecca Seawright
- Robert C. Carroll
- Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn
- Ron Kim
- Sam Sutton
- Sarah Clark
- Simcha Eichenstein
- Stacey Pheffer Amato
- Steve Stern
- Steven Raga
- Tommy Schiavoni
- Tony Simone
- William Colton
- William Conrad
- Yudelka Tapia
The sponsor's argument
Why Toby Ann Stavisky says this is needed
In 2002, New York created the Article 163 professions, which included mental health counseling and marriage and family therapy, through legis- lation that formally established licensure, education, and practice standards for these disciplines. More than twenty years later, these professions have matured into core components of the State's behavior- al-health workforce. However, New York continues to face persistent shortages of qualified supervisors, contributing to longer training pipelines and, ultimately, reduced access to care across communities. This bill strengthens the State's behavioral-health workforce by allow- ing cross-supervision only when a professional has demonstrated advanced, overlapping competency. Under the bill, an LMFT or LMHC may supervise across professions only if they have at least three years of licensure, hold the diagnostic privilege established in Education Law § 8401-a, and have completed specialized training in clinical supervision, ethics, and professional orientation.
This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.
Recorded votes
Vote: Committee vote · Higher Education
Senate Higher EducationMay 5, 2026Result: passed
(11) (0) (0) (0)
Full history
- May 20, 2026
Passed a chamber
PASSED ASSEMBLY
NY Assembly
- May 20, 2026
Reported out of committee
REPORTED
NY Assembly
- May 20, 2026
Rules Report CAL.151
RULES REPORT CAL.151
NY Assembly
- May 20, 2026
Substituted
SUBSTITUTED BY S8899
NY Assembly
- May 19, 2026
Reported out of committee
REPORTED REFERRED TO RULES
NY Assembly
Show full history (9 earlier events)Show less history
- May 13, 2026
Sent to the executive
DELIVERED TO ASSEMBLY
NY Senate
- May 13, 2026
Passed a chamber
PASSED SENATE
NY Senate
- May 13, 2026
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO HIGHER EDUCATION
NY Assembly
- May 7, 2026
Advanced to Third Reading
ADVANCED TO THIRD READING
NY Senate
- May 6, 2026
2ND Report CAL.
2ND REPORT CAL.
NY Senate
- May 5, 2026
1ST Report CAL.923
1ST REPORT CAL.923
NY Senate
- Jan 14, 2026
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO HIGHER EDUCATION
NY Senate
- Jan 7, 2026
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO HIGHER EDUCATION
NY Assembly
- Dec 10, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO HIGHER EDUCATION
NY Assembly