AN ACT to establish the north carolina BOARD OF Integrative Therapies and to create licensure processes for Art TherAPISTS and music therapists.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  Chapter 90 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new Article to read:

Article 44.

Integrative Therapies.

Part 1. North Carolina Board of Integrative Therapies.

§ 90‑750.1.  Title and purpose.

(a)        This Article shall be known and may be cited as the North Carolina Integrative Therapies Act.

(b)        The North Carolina Integrative Therapies Act is established to safeguard the public health, safety, and welfare; to protect the public from being harmed by unqualified persons; to assure the highest degree of professional services and conduct on the part of practitioners of the integrative therapies; to provide for the establishment of licensure requirements; and to ensure the availability of integrative therapies services of high quality to persons in need of such services.

§ 90‑750.2.  Definitions.

The following definitions apply in this Article:

(1)        Advisory committee. – A committee charged with supervising the day‑to‑day regulation of an integrative therapy profession. Advisory committees shall screen applicants for licensure and conduct all investigations necessary to give recommendations to the Board.

(2)        Board. – The North Carolina Board of Integrative Therapies, as established pursuant to G.S. 90‑750.3.

(3)        Integrative therapies. – The use of allopathic, complementary, or integrative approaches to the art and science of medicine for the prevention, identification, and treatment of human physical or mental conditions, diseases, ailments, illnesses, infirmities, pain, defects, or injuries and the promotion and restoration of health and wellness.

(4)        Integrative therapies profession. – Any of the professions listed in G.S. 90‑750.8.

(5)        North Carolina Integrative Therapies License. – A license in an integrative therapy profession issued pursuant to this Article.

§ 90‑750.3.  North Carolina Board of Integrative Therapies; composition; terms; compensation.

(a)        Establishment. – The North Carolina Board of Integrative Therapies is hereby created. The Board shall consist of the following members appointed to three‑year terms as follows:

(1)        One art therapist appointed by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the President Pro Tempore of the Senate.

(2)        One music therapist appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

(3)        One art therapist appointed by the Governor.

(4)        One music therapist appointed by the Governor.

(5)        Two physicians licensed under Article 1 of this Chapter who have experience with integrative therapies appointed by the Governor.

(6)        One member of the public appointed by the Governor.

(b)        Vacancies. – Any vacancies on the Board shall be filled by the appointing authority as provided in subsection (a) of this section, except that any vacancy in appointments by the General Assembly shall be filled in accordance with G.S. 120‑122. Individuals appointed to fill vacancies shall serve until the normal expiration of the term they were appointed to fill.

(c)        Qualifications. –

(1)        All members appointed to the Board shall be citizens of the United States and residents of the State of North Carolina.

(2)        All members appointed to the Board, except for the physicians appointed by the Governor under subdivision (5) of subsection (a) of this section and the public member appointed by the Governor under subdivision (6) of subsection (a) of this section, shall be required to hold a North Carolina Integrative Therapies License in their respective profession and remain in good standing for the duration of their terms.

(3)        Public members of the Board shall not be:

a.         An agent or employee trained or experienced in the practice of integrative therapies.

b.         An agent or employee of a person engaged in the practice of integrative therapies.

c.         A spouse of an individual licensed pursuant to this Article.

d.         Any person with significant financial interest in a health service or profession.

(d)       New Integrative Therapies Professions. – Any integrative therapies professions created after July 1, 2026, shall have two members on the Board, both of whom shall serve three‑year terms. One of these members shall be appointed by the Governor. The second member shall be appointed by the General Assembly. The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall make a recommendation to be approved by the General Assembly for the first term, and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate shall make a recommendation to be approved by the General Assembly for the second term. The Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate shall thereafter alternate recommendations for subsequent terms.

(e)        Removal. – The Board may remove any of its members for neglect of duty, incompetence, or unprofessional conduct. A member subject to disciplinary proceedings as a licensed integrative therapies professional shall be disqualified from participating in the official business of the Board until the charges have been resolved. Any member of the Board may be removed from office by the Governor for good cause shown.

(f)        Compensation of Members; Meetings. – A Board member may not receive compensation but may receive reimbursement as provided in G.S. 93B‑5. The officers of the Board shall include a chair, a secretary, and any other officers deemed necessary by the Board to carry out the purposes of this Article. All officers shall be elected annually by the Board at its first meeting held after appointments to the Board are made. The Board shall hold a meeting within 45 days after the appointment of new Board members. All officers shall serve one‑year terms and shall serve until their successors are elected and qualified. No person shall chair the Board for more than five consecutive years. The Board may adopt rules governing the calling, holding, and conducting of regular and special meetings. A majority of Board members present and voting constitutes a quorum, and no action may be taken without a quorum.

§ 90‑750.4.  Powers of the Board.

The Board shall have the following powers and duties:

(1)        Administer, coordinate, and enforce the provisions of this Article.

(2)        Adopt, amend, or repeal rules necessary to conduct its business, carry out its duties, and administer this Article.

(3)        Appoint and maintain advisory committees to fulfill the daily regulation of integrative therapies professions.

(4)        Issue, renew, deny, suspend, or revoke Integrative Therapies Licenses, order probation, issue reprimands, and conduct any disciplinary actions authorized by this Article.

(5)        Authorize expenditures deemed necessary to carry out the provisions of this Article from fees paid to the Board pursuant to this Article.

(6)        Remit to advisory committees funds sufficient for those advisory committees to carry out their duties.

(7)        Conduct investigations for the purpose of discovering violations of this Article or grounds for disciplinary actions.

(8)        Conduct any administrative hearings necessary for the administration of this Article, including disciplinary hearings to enforce the provisions of this Article.

(9)        Establish fees as necessary for the administration of this Article.

§ 90‑750.5.  Expenses and fees.

(a)        All fees shall be payable to and deposited in the name of the Board in financial institutions designated by the Board as official depositories. These fees shall be used to carry out the purposes of this Article.

(b)        All salaries, compensation, and expenses incurred or allowed to carry out the purposes of this Article shall be paid by the Board exclusively out of the fees received by the Board as authorized by this Article or funds received from other sources. In no case shall any salary, expense, or other obligation authorized by this Article be charged against the State treasury.

(c)        The Board shall establish fees for integrative therapies professions not exceeding the following amounts:

(1)....... Issuance of a North Carolina Integrative Therapies License............. $300.00

(2)....... License application and examination................................................. $200.00

(3)....... North Carolina Integrative Therapies License renewal (annually).... $350.00

(4)....... Late renewal....................................................................................... $200.00.

§ 90‑750.6.  Violations.

(a)        Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, any person violating any provision of this Article shall be punished as follows:

(1)        For the first violation, the individual shall receive a written warning.

(2)        For the second violation, the individual shall be subject to a civil penalty of no more than two hundred dollars ($200.00).

(3)        For the third and each subsequent violation, the individual shall be subject to a civil penalty of no more than two hundred dollars ($200.00) for each violation and shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

(b)        The clear proceeds of a civil penalty assessed under this section shall be remitted to the Civil Penalty and Forfeiture Fund in accordance with G.S. 115C‑457.2.

§ 90‑750.7.  Injunction.

As an additional remedy, the Board may proceed in superior court to enjoin and restrain any person from violating the prohibitions of this Article. The Board shall not be required to post bond when seeking an injunction pursuant to this section.

§ 90‑750.8.  Integrative therapies professions.

The following are the integrative therapies professions subject to this Article:

(1)        Art therapists.

(2)        Music therapists.

§ 90‑750.9.  Third‑party reimbursement.

Nothing in this Article shall be construed to require direct third‑party reimbursement to persons licensed under this Article.

Part 2. Art Therapy.

§ 90‑750.10.  Art therapy as an integrative therapy profession.

It is the policy of this State that the practice of art therapy shall be considered an integrative therapy profession.

§ 90‑750.11.  Definitions.

The following definitions apply in this Part:

(1)        Art therapy. – A therapeutic profession that enriches the lives of individuals, families, and communities through active art‑making, creative process, applied psychological theory, and human experience within a therapeutic relationship with the goal of restoring a client's functioning or sense of personal well‑being.

(2)        Certifying entity. – The Art Therapy Credentials Board or its successor.

(3)        Committee. – The North Carolina Art Therapy Advisory Committee.

(4)        National certification. – A determination by the certifying entity that an individual has passed the certifying entity's national exam and that the individual has an active status with the certifying entity.

(5)        North Carolina Licensed Art Therapist. – An individual that (i) is registered by the certifying entity as a registered art therapist and (ii) has been issued a North Carolina Integrative Therapies License in art therapy by the Board.

§ 90‑750.12.  North Carolina Art Therapy Advisory Committee.

(a)        Establishment. – The North Carolina Art Therapy Advisory Committee is created. The Committee consists of three members serving staggered terms. The initial Committee members shall be appointed on or before January 1, 2027, as follows:

(1)        The Board shall appoint from a list of names submitted by the North Carolina Art Therapy Association or its successor two art therapists eligible for licensure under this Article. One member shall serve an initial term of three years, and one member shall serve an initial term of two years.

(2)        The Board shall appoint one public member who shall serve an initial term of one year.

Upon the expiration of the terms of the initial Committee members, each subsequent member shall be appointed for a term of three years. The term of a member shall begin on January 1 of each year. A member shall serve until the member's successor is appointed. No member shall serve on the Committee for more than two consecutive full terms.

(b)        Qualifications. – The initial art therapist appointees shall be citizens of the United States and North Carolina residents for at least two years prior to appointment, certified by the certifying entity as an art therapist, and eligible to obtain a North Carolina Integrative Therapies License in art therapy under G.S. 90‑750.14. Upon appointment, each initial art therapist appointee shall immediately seek to obtain a North Carolina Integrative Therapies License in art therapy under this Article and shall remain in good standing with the Committee during the appointee's term. Subsequent art therapy appointees shall be citizens of the United States, residents of North Carolina, North Carolina Licensed Art Therapists, and appointed by the Board from a list of names supplied by the North Carolina Art Therapy Association or its successor. Public members of the Committee shall not be:

(1)        An agent or employee trained or experienced in the practice of art therapy.

(2)        An agent or employee of a person engaged in the practice of art therapy.

(3)        A member of an integrative therapies profession or a person enrolled in a program to become a member of an integrative therapies profession.

(4)        A spouse of an individual licensed under this Article.

(5)        Any person with significant financial interest in a health service or profession.

(c)        Meetings. – The Committee shall elect annually a chair and other officers as it deems necessary to carry out the purposes of this Article. The Committee may hold additional meetings upon the call of the chair or any two Committee members. A majority of the Committee shall constitute a quorum.

(d)       Compensation of Members; Expenses; Employees. – Members of the Committee shall receive no compensation for their services but shall receive per diem and necessary travel and subsistence expenses as provided in G.S. 138‑5 and G.S. 138‑6. In no event shall the State of North Carolina be liable for expenses incurred by the Committee in excess of the income derived from this Article.

§ 90‑750.13.  Powers and duties of Committee.

The Committee shall have the following powers and duties:

(1)        Administer and coordinate the provisions of this Part.

(2)        Make recommendations to the Board to adopt, amend, or repeal rules to administer and enforce this Part.

(3)        Establish and determine qualification and fitness of applicants for a North Carolina Integrative Therapies License in art therapy under this Part.

(4)        Make recommendations to the Board to issue, renew, deny, suspend, revoke, or refuse to issue or renew a North Carolina Integrative Therapies License in art therapy under this Article.

(5)        Make recommendations to the Board to discipline North Carolina Licensed Art Therapists.

(6)        Advise the Board to seek civil and criminal penalties against unlicensed individuals engaged in the practice of art therapy.

(7)        Provide all North Carolina Licensed Art Therapists with a wallet‑sized card identifying the bearer as a North Carolina Licensed Art Therapist.

(8)        Maintain a list of all individuals in the State who hold a North Carolina Integrative Therapies License in art therapy.

§ 90‑750.14.  Integrative therapy licensure in art therapy application and requirements.

Each individual desiring to obtain a North Carolina Integrative Therapies License in art therapy under this Article shall apply to the Committee in accordance with the procedures and rules prescribed by the Board. The Committee shall recommend that the Board issue a North Carolina Integrative Therapies License in art therapy to any applicant who furnishes evidence satisfactory to the Committee that the applicant meets all of the following criteria:

(1)        The applicant is at least 18 years of age.

(2)        The applicant is of good moral character as determined by the Committee.

(3)        The applicant holds a national certification issued by the certifying entity.

(4)        The applicant has paid all applicable fees to the Board as specified in G.S. 90‑750.5.

§ 90‑750.15.  License renewal.

Every North Carolina Integrative Therapies License in art therapy issued by the Board shall be renewed annually on a date established by rule. The Committee shall recommend that the Board renew the North Carolina Integrative Therapies License in art therapy of any individual who files a renewal application with the Committee and who meets the criteria set forth in G.S. 90‑750.14.

§ 90‑750.16.  Compensation for art therapy services; prohibited acts.

Compensation may be received for art therapy services only when those services are performed by an individual holding a North Carolina Integrative Therapies License in art therapy. Nonlicensed individuals who provide art therapy services or who engage in the practice of art therapy are subject to the penalties in G.S. 90‑750.6 or an injunction under G.S. 90‑750.7 unless the individual is an art therapy student working to obtain a certification of completion from a nationally recognized art therapy education program.

§ 90‑750.17.  License to be displayed; advertising.

(a)        At all places of business in which compensated art therapy services are offered, a valid and up‑to‑date license for all individuals offering compensated art therapy services shall be displayed in a prominent place.

(b)        All public advertising designed to attract clients for art therapy services shall identify that the services will be performed by an individual holding a North Carolina Integrative Therapies License in art therapy.

(c)        No individual shall use the title North Carolina Licensed Art Therapist unless that individual holds a valid North Carolina Integrative Therapies License in art therapy issued by the Board. Individuals holding themselves out as North Carolina Licensed Art Therapists shall carry the identification card described in G.S. 90‑750.13(7) at all times when providing art therapy services. Individuals in violation of this subsection are subject to the penalties in G.S. 90‑750.6 or an injunction under G.S. 90‑750.7.

§ 90‑750.18.  Reciprocity.

The Committee may recommend that the Board grant, upon application and payment of proper fees, a North Carolina Integrative Therapies License in art therapy to a person who has been licensed or certified to practice art therapy in another state or territory of the United States whose standards of competency are substantially equivalent to the requirements for licensure provided in this Article.

Part 3. Music Therapy.

§ 90‑750.20.  Music therapy as an integrative therapies profession.

It is the policy of this State that the practice of music therapy shall be considered an integrative therapies profession.

§ 90‑750.21.  Definitions.

The following definitions apply in this Part:

(1)        Certifying entity. – The Certification Board for Music Therapists or its successor.

(2)        Committee. – The North Carolina Music Therapy Advisory Committee.

(3)        Music therapy. – The clinical and evidence‑based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals for people of all ages and ability levels within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional who has completed an approved music therapy program, including (i) assessment of a client's emotional, physical, and spiritual health; social functioning; communication abilities; and cognitive skills through the client's history and observation and interaction of the client in music and nonmusic settings, (ii) development and implementation of treatment plans, based on a client's assessed needs, using music interventions, including music improvisation, receptive music listening, song writing, lyric discussion, music and imagery, singing, music performance, learning through music, music combined with other arts, music‑assisted relaxation, music‑based patient education, electronic music technology, adapted music intervention, and movement to music, and (iii) evaluation and documentation of the client's response to treatment.

(4)        Music therapy services. – The provision of services to accomplish music therapy goals, including (i) conducting an individualized assessment for the purpose of collecting systematic, comprehensive, and accurate data necessary to determine the course of action subsequent to the individualized treatment plan, (ii) planning and developing the individualized music therapy treatment plan that identifies an individual's goals, objectives, and potential treatment intervention strategies, (iii) implementing the individualized music therapy treatment plan consistent with the individual's overall treatment program, (iv) systematically evaluating and comparing the individual's response to the individualized music therapy treatment plan, documenting progress, and suggesting modifications, as appropriate, (v) developing a discharge plan in collaboration with the individual, the individual's family, treatment team, and other identified support networks, when appropriate, (vi) minimizing the impact of environmental constraints as a barrier to participation in least restrictive environments for individuals engaging in music therapy, (vii) collaborating with and educating the individual, family, caregiver, and others to foster an environment responsive to the developmental needs of the individual as addressed in music therapy, and (viii) consulting with groups, programs, organizations, or communities to improve accessibility to music therapy services.

(5)        National certification. – A determination by the certifying entity that an individual has satisfied the certifying entity's requirements and that the individual has an active status with the certifying entity.

(6)        North Carolina Licensed Music Therapist. – An individual who has been issued a North Carolina Integrative Therapies License in music therapy by the Board.

§ 90‑750.22.  North Carolina Music Therapy Advisory Committee.

(a)        Establishment. – The North Carolina Music Therapy Advisory Committee is created. The Committee consists of three members serving staggered terms. The initial Committee members shall be appointed on or before January 1, 2027, as follows:

(1)        The Board shall appoint from a list of names submitted by the Music Therapy Association of North Carolina or its successor two music therapists eligible to obtain a North Carolina Integrative Therapies License in music therapy under this Article. One member shall serve an initial term of three years, and one member shall serve an initial term of two years.

(2)        The Board shall appoint one public member who shall serve an initial term of one year.

Upon the expiration of the terms of the initial Committee members, each subsequent member shall be appointed for a term of three years. The term of a member shall begin on January 1 of each year. A member shall serve until the member's successor is appointed. No member shall serve on the Committee for more than two consecutive full terms.

(b)        Qualifications. – The initial music therapist appointees shall be citizens of the United States and North Carolina residents for at least two years prior to appointment, certified by the certifying entity as a music therapist, and eligible to obtain a North Carolina Integrative Therapies License in music therapy under G.S. 90‑750.24. Upon appointment, each initial music therapist appointee shall immediately seek to obtain a North Carolina Integrative Therapies License in music therapy under this Article and shall remain in good standing with the Committee during the appointee's term. Subsequent music therapist appointees shall be citizens of the United States, residents of North Carolina, North Carolina Licensed Music Therapists, and appointed by the Board from a list of names supplied by the Music Therapy Association of North Carolina or its successor. Public members of the Committee shall not be:

(1)        An agent or employee trained or experienced in the practice of music therapy.

(2)        An agent or employee of a person engaged in the practice of music therapy.

(3)        A member of an integrative therapies profession or a person enrolled in a program to become a member of an integrative therapies profession.

(4)        A spouse of an individual licensed under this Article.

(5)        Any person with significant financial interest in a health service or profession.

(c)        Meetings. – The Committee shall elect annually a chair and other officers as it deems necessary to carry out the purposes of this Article. The Committee may hold additional meetings upon the call of the chair or any two Committee members. A majority of the Committee shall constitute a quorum.

(d)       Compensation of Members; Expenses; Employees. – Members of the Committee shall receive no compensation for their services but shall receive per diem and necessary travel and subsistence expenses as provided in G.S. 138‑5 and G.S. 138‑6. In no event shall the State of North Carolina be liable for expenses incurred by the Committee in excess of the income derived from this Article.

§ 90‑750.23.  Powers and duties of Committee.

The Committee shall have the following powers and duties:

(1)        Administer and coordinate the provisions of this Part.

(2)        Make recommendations to the Board to adopt, amend, or repeal rules to administer and enforce this Part.

(3)        Establish and determine qualification and fitness of applicants for a North Carolina Integrative Therapies License in music therapy under this Part.

(4)        Make recommendations to the Board to issue, renew, deny, suspend, revoke, or refuse to issue or renew a North Carolina Integrative Therapies License in music therapy under this Article.

(5)        Make recommendations to the Board to discipline North Carolina Licensed Music Therapists.

(6)        Advise the Board to seek civil and criminal penalties against nonlicensed individuals engaged in the practice of music therapy.

(7)        Provide all North Carolina Licensed Music Therapists with a wallet‑sized card identifying the bearer as a North Carolina Licensed Music Therapist.

(8)        Maintain a list of all individuals in the State who hold a North Carolina Integrative Therapies License in music therapy.

§ 90‑750.24.  North Carolina Integrative Therapies License in music therapy requirements.

Each individual desiring to obtain a North Carolina Integrative Therapies License in music therapy under this Article shall apply to the Committee in accordance with the procedures and rules prescribed by the Board. The Committee shall recommend that the Board issue a North Carolina Integrative Therapies License in music therapy to any applicant who furnishes evidence satisfactory to the Committee that the applicant meets all of the following criteria:

(1)        Is 18 years of age or older.

(2)        Is of good moral character as determined by the Committee.

(3)        Provides proof of one of the following:

a.         Passing the examination for board certification offered by the Certification Board for Music Therapists or its successor organizations.

b.         Being transitioned into board certification by the Certification Board for Music Therapists or its successor organizations and currently holding the MT‑BC credential as a board‑certified music therapist.

(4)        Has paid all applicable fees to the Board as specified under G.S. 90‑750.5.

§ 90‑750.25.  License renewal.

Every North Carolina Integrative Therapies License in music therapy issued by the Board shall be renewed annually on a date established by rule. The Committee shall recommend that the Board renew the license of any individual who files a renewal application with the Committee and who meets the licensure criteria set forth in G.S. 90‑750.24.

§ 90‑750.26.  Compensation for music therapy services; prohibited acts.

Compensation may be received for music therapy services only when those services are performed by an individual holding a North Carolina Integrative Therapies License in music therapy. Nonlicensed individuals who provide music therapy services or who engage in the practice of music therapy are subject to the penalties in G.S. 90‑750.6 or an injunction under G.S. 90‑750.7.

§ 90‑750.27.  North Carolina Licensed Music Therapist.

(a)        No individual without a North Carolina Integrative Therapies License in music therapy shall use the title music therapist, licensed professional music therapist, or similar title or practice music therapy.

(b)        Nothing in this Chapter may be construed to prohibit or restrict the practice, services, or activities of the following:

(1)        Any individual licensed, certified, or regulated under the laws of this State in another profession or occupation, including physicians, psychologists, psychoanalysts, registered nurses, marriage and family therapists, social workers, occupational therapists, professional or rehabilitation counselors, speech‑language pathologists or audiologists, or personnel supervised by a licensed professional, performing work, including the use of music, incidental to the practice of his or her licensed, certified, or regulated profession or occupation, if that person does not represent himself or herself as a music therapist.

(2)        Any individual whose training and national certification attests to the individual's preparation and ability to practice his or her certified profession or occupation, if that person does not represent himself or herself as a music therapist.

(3)        Any practice of music therapy as an integral part of a program of study for students enrolled in an accredited music therapy program, if the student does not represent himself or herself as a music therapist.

(c)        An individual who is not a licensed professional music therapist may provide music therapy under the supervision of a licensed professional music therapist for a period not to exceed 180 days from the start of practice if the individual's application to obtain board certification is pending and the individual meets the remaining requirements for a North Carolina Integrative Therapies License in music therapy listed in G.S. 90‑750.24.

§ 90‑750.28.  Reciprocity.

The Committee may recommend that the Board grant, upon application and payment of proper fees, a North Carolina Integrative Therapies License in music therapy to a person who has been licensed or certified to practice music therapy in another state or territory of the United States whose standards of competency are substantially equivalent to the requirements for licensure provided in this Article.

§ 90‑750.29.  Collaboration.

(a)        Before an individual with a North Carolina Integrative Therapies License in music therapy provides music therapy services to a client for an identified clinical or developmental need, the individual shall review the client's diagnosis, treatment needs, and treatment plan with the health care providers involved in the client's care. Before an individual with a North Carolina Integrative Therapies License in music therapy provides music therapy services to a student for an identified educational need in a special education setting, the individual shall review with the individualized family service plan or individualized education program team the student's diagnosis, treatment needs, and treatment plan.

(b)        During the provision of music therapy services to a client, an individual with a North Carolina Integrative Therapies License in music therapy shall collaborate, as applicable, with the client's treatment team, including the client's physician, psychologist, licensed clinical social worker, or other mental health professional. During the provision of music therapy services to a client with a communication disorder, an individual with a North Carolina Integrative Therapies License in music therapy shall collaborate and discuss the music therapy treatment plan with the client's audiologist or speech‑language pathologist so that the music therapist may work with the client and address communication skills.

(c)        When providing educational or health care services, an individual with a North Carolina Integrative Therapies License in music therapy may not replace the services provided by an audiologist or a speech‑language pathologist. Unless authorized to practice speech‑language pathology, music therapists may not evaluate, examine, instruct, or counsel on speech, language, communication, and swallowing disorders and conditions. An individual with a North Carolina Integrative Therapies License in music therapy may not represent to the public that the individual is authorized to treat a communication disorder. This does not prohibit an individual with a North Carolina Integrative Therapies License in music therapy from representing to the public that the individual may work with clients who have a communication disorder and address communication skills.

SECTION 2.(a)  Notwithstanding G.S. 90‑750.3, as enacted by Section 1 of this act, the initial members of the North Carolina Board of Integrative Therapies shall be appointed as follows:

(1)        The General Assembly, upon the recommendation of the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, shall appoint one art therapist to serve an initial term of three years.

(2)        The General Assembly, upon the recommendation of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, shall appoint one music therapist to serve an initial term of two years.

(3)        The Governor shall appoint one art therapist to serve an initial term of two years.

(4)        The Governor shall appoint one music therapist to serve an initial term of three years.

(5)        The Governor shall appoint one physician to serve an initial term of two years and one physician to serve an initial term of one year.

(6)        The Governor shall appoint one member of the public who shall serve an initial term of three years.

SECTION 2.(b)  The art therapists appointed to the Board pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall have been North Carolina residents for at least two years prior to appointment, certified by a national entity that certifies art therapists, and eligible for licensure under G.S. 90‑750.14, as enacted by Section 1 of this act. Upon appointment, the art therapist appointees shall seek to obtain a North Carolina Integrative Therapies License in art therapy as soon as the first application period begins and shall remain in good standing with the Board.

SECTION 2.(c)  The music therapists appointed to the Board pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall have been North Carolina residents for at least two years prior to appointment, certified by a national entity that certifies music therapists, and eligible for licensure under G.S. 90‑750.24, as enacted pursuant to Section 1 of this act. Upon appointment, the initial music therapist appointees shall seek to obtain a North Carolina Integrative Therapies License in music therapy as soon as the first application period begins and shall remain in good standing with the Board.

SECTION 2.(d)  The appointments required by this section shall be made on or before December 1, 2026, and the initial terms of the appointees shall begin on January 1, 2027. Once these initial terms expire, all vacancies shall be filled according to the provisions of G.S. 90‑750.3, as enacted in Section 1 of this act.

SECTION 2.(e)  G.S. 90‑750.6, 90‑750.7, 90‑750.16, 90‑750.17, 90‑750.26, and 90‑750.27, as enacted by Section 1 of this act, become effective on the date that is the first day of a month that begins 180 days after the chair of the North Carolina Board of Integrative Therapies certifies to the Revisor of Statutes that the Board has begun accepting applications for Integrative Therapies Licenses and apply to acts committed on or after that date. This section and the remainder of Section 1 of this act are effective when they become law.

SECTION 3.  Except as otherwise provided, this act is effective when it becomes law.