AN ACT to Reform the practice of behavior analysis.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.(a)  G.S. 90‑732 reads as rewritten:

§ 90‑732.  Definitions.

The following definitions apply in this Article:

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(9)        Registered behavior technician. – An individual who is registered by the certifying entity as a registered behavior technician.

SECTION 1.(b)  G.S. 90‑745 reads as rewritten:

§ 90‑745.  Exemptions from licensure.

An individual is exempt from the requirements of this Article if any of the following conditions are met:

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(2)        The individual is a registered behavior technician delivering applied behavior analysis services under the extended authority and direction of a licensed behavior analyst, licensed assistant behavior analyst, or other professional licensed under this Chapter or Chapter 90B of the General Statutes, so long as the services of the licensed professional are within the scope of practice of the license possessed by that licensed professional, and the services performed are commensurate with the licensed professional's education, training, and experience. The registered behavior technician does not design assessment or intervention plans or procedures but delivers services as assigned by a supervisor who is responsible for the registered behavior technician's work.

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SECTION 1.(c)  Article 43 of Chapter 90 of the General Statutes is amended by adding the following new sections to read:

§ 90‑745.1.  Registered behavior technicians.

(a)        At least ten percent (10%) of all services provided by a registered behavior technician must involve the observation and direction of the registered behavior technician by a licensed behavior analyst or licensed assistant behavior analyst.

(b)        Registered behavior technicians shall not have any individual, one‑on‑one contact with a patient until they have provided 80 hours of applied behavior analysis services to patients under the observation and direction of a licensed behavior analyst or licensed assistant behavior analyst.

§ 90‑746.1.  Practice limitations.

(a)        No individual licensed or registered under this Article shall practice behavior analysis via telehealth unless the patient is located in a county in this State with a population density of less than 400 people per square mile.

(b)        No individual licensed under this Article shall practice behavior analysis with a minor for more than 16 hours in any seven‑day period without the minor's parent or legal guardian being physically present.

SECTION 2.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the North Carolina Behavior Analysis Board the sum of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 2026‑2027 fiscal year to be used to adopt rules governing registered behavior technicians.

SECTION 3.  Section 1 of this act is effective January 1, 2027. Section 2 of this act is effective July 1, 2026. The remainder of this act is effective when it becomes law.