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Access MFTs Phase 3 Update

By Portability AAMFT posted 14 days ago
As Phase 3 of the Access MFTs initiative comes to a close, there have been four states that passed streamlined licensure by endorsement legislation this year and one state that improved the licensure by endorsement process through regulations. So far , 17 states have passed streamlined licensure by endorsement with the Access MFTs initiative . Another seven states have enacted streamlined licensure by endorsement on their own. States that passed Access MFTs legislation in Phase 3 are Kentucky , Tennessee , Minnesota , and Rhode Island . Oklahoma made regulatory changes to streamline ...
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Phase 4 Announcement: Wisconsin Joins Access MFTs Initiative!

By Portability AAMFT posted 17 days ago
Wisconsin has joined the Access MFTs initiative for the 2027 legislative session ! We are incredibly excited to share that , in 2027, Access MFTs will pursue an enhanced licensure portability model in Wisconsin. If you have any questions, concerns, or stories regarding the licensure by endorsement process in Wisconsin, please contact portability@aamt.org . All stories and experiences are essential to ensuring that portability challenges are examined and resolved in the state.
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Phase 4 Announcement: Oregon Joins Access MFTs Initiative!

By Portability AAMFT posted 08-03-2026
Oregon becomes the first state to join Phase 4 of the Access MFTs initiative! We are incredibly excited to share that in 2027, Access MFTs will be pursuing an enhanced licensure portability model in Oregon. This will be a joint effort with the Coalition of Oregon Professional Associations for Counseling and Therapy (COPACT). If you have any questions, concerns, or stories regarding the licensure by endorsement process in Oregon, please contact portability@aamt.org . All stories and experiences are essential to ensuring that portability challenges are examined and resolved in the state.
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Jurisprudence Examination Overview

By Portability AAMFT posted 06-30-2026
The Access MFTs initiative strives to enhance the licensure portability process for MFTs across the country by breaking down unnecessary and exclusionary provisions that prevent qualified MFTs from obtaining a license in another state. The most common barriers that are targeted by the initiative are substantially equivalent language, years of experience requirements , and duplicative paperwork verification . Because the language to enhance the portability process varies slightly from state to state, there are opportunities for states to establish qualifications that are important to protect ...
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Rhode Island Access MFTs Legislation Signed into Law!

By Portability AAMFT posted 06-25-2026
On Monday, June 22 nd , Rhode Island’s S3026/H7064 was signed into law by Governor Dan McKee. This makes Rhode Island the fourth state to pass enhanced portabili ty legislation for MFTs in 2026, and the 17th state to pass enhanced portability legislation since the start of the initiative in 2024. The new legislation removes substantially equivalent language from the statute and will require 1 year of experience as a fully licensed MFT to qualify for the enhanced licensure by endorsement pathway. A h uge thank you to our team in Rhode Island. Without our incredible volunteers and team, this legislation ...
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Rhode Island Passes the Senate! Next Stop: The Governor’s Desk

By Portability AAMFT posted 06-15-2026
On Wednesday, June 10 th , the Rhode Island Senate passed S3026 with a unanimous vote of 36-0. With the passage of S3026 , enhanced portability legislation for MFTs has passed both c hambers of the Rhode Island legislature . On June 11 th , the legislature completed the crossover process. Th e crossover process ensures that both chambers have passed identical legislation . Now that H7064/S3026 has completed the crossover process, the legislation is on its way to the governor’s desk - c heck back for additiona l updates ...
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Rhode Island S3026 Moves on to the Senate Floor

By Portability AAMFT posted 06-04-2026
On Tuesday, June 2 nd , the Rhode Island Senate Health and Human Services Committee unanimously passed S3026 with a vote of 7-0. The Rhode Island legislature wraps up their legislative session on June 12 th . At this point in time, the Access MFTs legislation has completely passed the House, and the only remaining steps for the bill are to pass the Senate Floor and be signed by the governor. Check back later this month for updates on the Access MFTs legislation in Rhode Island as the legislation moves through the final steps of the legislative process. If you have any questions or stories about ...
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Minnesota Signs Access MFTs Legislation into Law!

By Portability AAMFT posted 05-28-2026
On Wednesday, May 27 th , Minnesota Governor Tim Walz signed House File 3285 into law ! With this signature, Minnesota becomes the third state to sign Access MFTs legislation into law in 2026. T he Access MFTs langu age can be found in Article 8 of HF 3825 . Under this new law, MFTs applying for licensure by endorsement in Minnesota will be required to hold a full license in good standing in another state, pass a jurisprudence examination, and pay the applicable fee to qualify for licensure. A huge thank you to our incredible volunteers and team in Minnesota for helping get this legislation across the finish ...
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Minnesota Passes Access MFTs Licensure Portability!

By Portability AAMFT posted 05-19-2026
On Saturday, May 16 th , the Minnesota legislature passed House File 3285 . HF 3285 is a large health omnibus bill. The Access MFTs language can be found in Art icle 8 of the bill. Under this bill, MFTs applying for licensure by endorsement in Minnesota will be required to hold a full license in good standing in another state , pass a jurisprudence examination, and pay the applicable fee to qualify for licensure. The next step for HF 3285 is to be signed by the governor. Continue to check back for updates as this bill makes its way through the final step of the legislative process. If you have any questions, ...
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Did You Know? Exploring Recent Changes to Florida’s MOBILE Act

By Portability AAMFT posted 05-11-2026
The 2026 legislative session contained several significant pieces of legislation for marriage and family therapists in Florida. Key issues that were targeted during the legislative session included the licensure by endorsement p rocess and an extension of the deadline for Florida MFTs to graduate from a COAMFTE-accredited program to obtain initial licensure . T he MOBILE Act is the current pathway for L MFTs to enter the state through licensure by endorsement. This legislation requires L MFTs to have two years of experience and have passed the AMFTRB national exam to utilize this expedited process ...
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Minnesota Senate Passes Access MFTs Bill!

By Portability AAMFT posted 05-07-2026
On Tuesday, May 5, Minnesota Senate File 3298 passed the Senate Floor! It is important to note that although enhanced portability language for MFTs has passed in both chambers of the Minnesota legislature, it is not yet headed to the governor’s desk. This is because the Senate version of the language is a part of a larger omnibus bill, and the House version is a stand-alone bill. With multiple pathways for this language to pass, there are increased opportunities for the expansion of enhanced licensure by endorsement for MFTs in Minnesota. We are grateful for all of the supportive testimony by legislators and volunteers on behalf of this initiative ...
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Minnesota House Unanimously Passes Access MFTs Bill!

By Portability AAMFT posted 04-28-2026
On Monday, April 27 th , Minnesota House File 4595 passed the House Floor ! The vote was unanimous, 133-0. The overwhelming support for this legislation continues to demonstrate the importance of portability for marriage and family therapists as professionals in providing th e needed mental health services to individuals in Minnesota. During the House Floor meeting for the standalone bill, House File 4595, several legislators from both sides of the aisle, including Representative Bierman, Representative Gillman, and the bill’s sponsor, Representative Schomacker, spoke in favor of the bill. Representative ...
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Tennessee Signs Access MFTs Legislation into Law!

By Portability AAMFT posted 04-21-2026
On Thursday, April 16th, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed House Bill 1909 into law. With this signature, Tennessee becomes the second state to pass Access MFTs legislation in 2026. The sections of HB 1909 pertaining to portability for MFTs will be enacted July 1, 2026. The Access MFTs blog will continue to update if there are further developments in Tennessee. Continue to check back for updates regarding the application process and other essential steps for enactment. If you have any questions about portability in Tennessee, please reach out to portability@aamft.org.
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Kentucky Becomes the First Access MFTs Success of 2026!

By Portability AAMFT posted 04-13-2026
On Friday, April 10th, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear signed House Bill 459 into law. As this bill is finalized into law, Kentucky becomes the 14th state to pass Access MFTs legislation and the first state to pass Access MFTs legislation in 2026. The sections of House Bill 459 pertaining to licensure by endorsement for marriage and family therapists will be enacted this summer. The Access MFTs blog will continue to update if there are further developments in Kentucky. Continue to check back for updates regarding the application process and other essential steps for enactment. If you have any questions about portability in Kentucky, please reach out to ...
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Rhode Island Access MFTs Update: House Floor Vote & Senate Hearing

By Portability AAMFT posted 04-03-2026
This week was big for the portability initiative in Rhode Island. On March 31 st , the Rhode Island House voted unanimously, 63-0, to pass H7064. On April 2 nd , the Senate companion bill, S3026 , was heard by the Health and Human Services C ommittee. In the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, four individuals, both MFTs and students, shared their testimony on the importance of this legislation. Their conviction and support bolstered the argument in favor of the bill. The committee will vote on this bill later this spring . Continue to check back for more updates on the Access MFTs ...
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Tennessee Access MFTs Update: House Bill 1909 Passes the House Floor!

By Portability AAMFT posted 04-03-2026
The Tennessee House has passed House Bill 1909 . The vote was almost a unanimous decision, with a final count of 94-1. Enhanced portability for marriage and family therapists continues to see broad bipartisan support across the country. On April 2 nd , the Tennessee Senate heard House Bill 1909 again to match t he language that the Senate previously passed in Senate Bill 2585 . The Senate voted to match the language passed out of the House unanimously, 31-0. Continue to check back for more updates on the Access MFTs initiative in Tennessee as the legislation moves toward ...
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Kentucky Access MFTs Update: Final Stretch

By Portability AAMFT posted 04-03-2026
House Bill 459 has officially passed both chambers of the Kentucky legislature and is awaiting a signature from the governor to officially sign it into law! On March 3 1 st , the Kentucky House passed the Senate’s version of House Bill 459 to make the bill identical. On Apri l 1 st , the Senate President and the Speaker of the House put their signatures on the bill to pass the legislation on to the Governor for the final step of the legislative process. Continue to check back for more updates on the Access MFTs initiative in Kentucky as the legislation crosses the finish line in the upcoming weeks. ...
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Access MFTs Legislation is Introduced in Minnesota

By Portability AAMFT posted 03-25-2026
On March 20 th , the Minnesota legislature introduced Senate File 4746 , sponsored by Senator Koran . On March 24 th , the Senate Health and Human Services Committee heard Senate File 4746 . The legislation was received positively by the committee. On March 23 rd , the Minnesota legislature introduced House File 4595 , sponsored by Representative s Schomacker , Backer, Franson, Schwartz, Nadeau, Repinski, Curran, Bahner, Carroll, and Bierman. House Fi le 4595 was heard by the Health Finance and Policy Committee on March 25 th . HF 4595 passed the Health Finance Committee ...
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SB 2585 Passes Tennessee Senate Floor Unanimously!

By Portability AAMFT posted 03-20-2026
On March 19 th , Senate Bill 25 85 passed the Senate floor in Tennessee with no opposition. Next, in the House, H ouse B ill 1909 must pass the Health Committee and the House floor. Continue to check back for more updates on the Access MFTs initiative in Tennessee. If you have any questions or stories about portability in Tennessee, please reach out to portability@aamft.org !
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HB 549 Passes Kentucky Senate Committee and Senate Floor!

By Portability AAMFT posted 03-19-2026
On Tuesday, March 10 th , Kentucky House Bill 459 passed the Senate Licensing and Occupations Committee . On Thursday, March 19 th , House Bill 459 passed the Senate Floor! The bill received unanimous support from both the committee and the full Senate . The bill now needs to go back to the House for c oncurrence . Check back for updates through the end of the legislative session! Continue to check back for more updates on the Access MFTs initiative in Kentucky. If you have any questions or stories about portability in Kentucky, please reach out to portability@aamft.org !
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