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7 LONG TITLE
8 General Description:
9 This bill establishes a registration process for a life coach.
10 Highlighted Provisions:
11 This bill:
12 ▸ establishes:
13 • a registration process for a life coach; and
14 • a renewal process for a life coach registration;
15 ▸ requires that the Division of Professional Licensing (division) grant a life coach
16 registration under certain conditions;
17 ▸ exempts certain professions from regulation as a life coach;
18 ▸ establishes grounds under which the division may refuse to issue a life coach
19 registration;
20 ▸ grants authority to the division to revoke a life coach registration;
21 ▸ grants authority to the division to define what unlawful conduct and unprofessional
22 conduct means for a life coach; and
23 ▸ defines terms.
24 Money Appropriated in this Bill:
25 None
26 Other Special Clauses:
27 None
28 Utah Code Sections Affected:
29 ENACTS:
30 58-89-101, Utah Code Annotated 1953
31 58-89-102, Utah Code Annotated 1953
32 58-89-103, Utah Code Annotated 1953
33 58-89-104, Utah Code Annotated 1953
34 58-89-105, Utah Code Annotated 1953
35 58-89-106, Utah Code Annotated 1953
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37 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
38 Section 1. Section 58-89-101 is enacted to read:
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41 58-89-101. Definitions.
42 As used in this chapter:
43 (1) "Client" means an individual who engages the services of a professional.
44 (2) "Life coach" means an individual who engages in the practice of life coaching.
45 (3) "Practice of life coaching" means an individual establishing and maintaining an
46 ongoing, professional, paid relationship:
47 (a) with one or more clients, for the purpose of:
48 (i) providing support, counsel, and motivation to a client; and
49 (ii) assisting the client in achieving one or more professional, personal, or lifestyle
50 goals; and
51 (b) that includes improving a client's:
52 (i) goal setting;
53 (ii) business strategy;
54 (iii) personal relationship skills;
55 (iv) time management;
56 (v) practice of mindfulness; or
57 (vi) communication skills.
58 (4) "Unlawful conduct" means the same as that term is defined in Section 58-1-501.
59 (5) "Unprofessional conduct" means the same as that term is defined in Section
60 58-1-501.
61 Section 2. Section 58-89-102 is enacted to read:
62 58-89-102. Registration as a life coach -- Issuance of certificate.
63 (1) An individual may not act as a life coach in this state without holding a certificate
64 of registration under this chapter.
65 (2) An applicant for registration shall submit an application for registration as a life
66 coach to the division in a form prescribed by the division, containing at least the following:
67 (a) the applicant's name, birth date, and place of birth;
68 (b) the applicant's contact information, including:
69 (i) the address of the applicant's principal place of business;
70 (ii) the applicant's work and mobile telephone numbers; and
71 (iii) any means of communicating electronically with the applicant;
72 (c) the contact information for the applicant's business or employer, including the
73 applicant's business or employer's:
74 (i) mailing address;
75 (ii) telephone number; and
76 (iii) organization form;
77 (d) each social media account with which the applicant, the applicant's business, or
78 applicant's employer is affiliated;
79 (e) a description of the applicant's:
80 (i) formal training as a life coach;
81 (ii) practical experience as a life coach; and
82 (iii) educational background relating to the applicant's activities as a life coach;
83 (f) whether the applicant has pleaded guilty or no contest to, has been convicted of, or
84 has charges pending for, a crime that would involve moral turpitude or be a felony if
85 committed in this state and, if so, identification of:
86 (i) the crime;
87 (ii) the law-enforcement agency involved; and
88 (iii) if applicable, the date of the conviction and the fine or penalty imposed; and
89 (g) whether there has been any administrative or judicial determination that the
90 applicant made a false, misleading, deceptive, or fraudulent representation.
91 (3) An application under this section is a public record under Title 63G, Chapter 2,
92 Government Records Access and Management Act.
93 (4) Except as provided in Subsection (5), the division shall issue a certificate of
94 registration to an individual who applies for registration by complying with Subsection (2).
95 (5) The division may refuse to issue a certificate of registration to an applicant for
96 registration under Subsection (2) if the division determines that the applicant has engaged in:
97 (a) conduct that significantly adversely reflects on the applicant's fitness to act as a life
98 coach;
99 (b) unlawful conduct; or
100 (c) unprofessional conduct.
101 (6) In making a determination under Subsection (5), the division may consider:
102 (a) whether the applicant has:
103 (i) pleaded guilty, plead no contest to, has been convicted of, or has charges pending
104 for, a crime that would involve moral turpitude or be a felony if committed in this state;
105 (ii) made a materially false, misleading, deceptive, or fraudulent representation in the
106 application; or
107 (iii) engaged in conduct that adversely reflects on the applicant's credibility, honesty, or
108 integrity;
109 (b) how recently the conduct in Subsection (6)(a) occurred;
110 (c) the nature of the conduct in Subsection (6)(a); or
111 (d) other relevant conduct.
112 (7) Each registration expires on the expiration date shown on the registration unless the
113 licensee renews the registration in accordance with Section 58-89-103.
114 Section 3. Section 58-89-103 is enacted to read:
115 58-89-103. Renewal of certificate.
116 (1) The division shall:
117 (a) issue each certificate of registration under this chapter in accordance with a
118 two-year renewal cycle established by division rule; and
119 (b) establish, by rule, criteria that an applicant for renewal must meet before the
120 division renews the applicant's certificate of registration.
121 (2) The division may, by rule, extend or shorten a renewal cycle by as much as one year
122 to stagger the renewal cycle the division administers.
123 (3) At the time of the renewal, the applicant for renewal shall provide sufficient
124 information to satisfy any criterion the division establishes by rule, under Subsection (1).
125 Section 4. Section 58-89-104 is enacted to read:
126 58-89-104. Exemptions from registration.
127 In addition to the exemptions from licensure in Section 58-1-307, the following may
128 engage in acts included within the definition of the practice of life coaching, subject to the
129 stated circumstances and limitations, without being registered as a life coach under this
130 chapter:
131 (1) the following when practicing within the scope of the license held:
132 (a) a physician and surgeon or osteopathic physician and surgeon licensed under
133 Chapter 67, Utah Medical Practice Act, or Chapter 68, Utah Osteopathic Medical Practice Act;
134 (b) an advanced practice registered nurse, specializing in psychiatric mental health
135 nursing, licensed under Chapter 31b, Nurse Practice Act;
136 (c) a psychologist licensed under Chapter 61, Psychologist Licensing Act;
137 (d) a physician assistant licensed under Chapter 70a, Utah Physician Assistant Act, and
138 specializing in mental health care under Section 58-70a-501.1; or
139 (e) professionals licensed under Chapter 60, Mental Health Professional Practice Act;
140 (2) a recognized member of the clergy while functioning in a ministerial capacity; or
141 (3) an individual providing advice or counsel to another individual in a setting of their
142 association as friends or relatives and in a nonprofessional and noncommercial relationship, if
143 there is no compensation paid for the advice or counsel.
144 Section 5. Section 58-89-105 is enacted to read:
145 58-89-105. Grounds for action regarding registration -- Disciplinary proceedings.
146 (1) Subject to Subsection (2), the division's grounds for refusing to renew the
147 registration of a licensee, for revoking, suspending, restricting, or placing on probation the
148 registration of a licensee, for issuing a public or private reprimand to a licensee, and for issuing
149 a cease and desist order are under Section 58-1-401.
150 (2) The division may not refuse, revoke, suspend, or in any way restrict an applicant or
151 licensee's registration under this chapter solely because the applicant or licensee seeks or
152 participates in mental health or substance abuse treatment.
153 (3) The division may, by rule, establish grounds under which the division may revoke a
154 registration granted under this chapter.
155 Section 6. Section 58-89-106 is enacted to read:
156 58-89-106. Unlawful and unprofessional conduct.
157 The division may, by rule, further define what constitutes unlawful conduct and
158 unprofessional conduct under this chapter.
159 Section 7. Effective date.
160 This bill takes effect on May 1, 2024.