Kentucky and Rhode Island are two of the 2026 Access MFTs states that have seen significant legislative progress early in the legislative session. In addition to portability being the focus of advocacy in Kentucky and Rhode Island, Rhode Island’s bill has an education component to their advocacy efforts in 2026.
Following last year’s session where the Access MFTs bill stalled on the final day of session, with only one final vote needed, the Kentucky team was eager to make progress on the bill early in session. On Wednesday, February 11, Kentucky House Bill 459 passed the House Licensing and Occupations Committee with unanimous support.
House Bill 459 moved quickly on to the next step of the legislative process, passing the full House unanimously as well, with a vote of 90-0. It now moves to the Senate.
Bill sponsor, Representative Shallcross-Smith, introduces H7064 to the Committee.
In Rhode Island, H7064 was introduced by Representatives Shallcross Smith, Bennett, Fogarty, McNamara, Perez, Carson, Casimiro, Azzinaro, Donovan, and Fellela and was quickly heard by the Rhode Island House Committee on Corporations on January 20, with an abundance of positive testimony and support. After the hearing, the bill was held for further study, a part of the legislative process in the Rhode Island.
RIAMFT President Gina MacLure testifies in support of H7064.
In addition to enhancing the portability process, H7064 seeks changes to the initial licensure process for Marriage and Family Therapists. It proposes a reduction in the hours of post-graduate experience from 2,000 direct client contact hours to 1,500, seeking to bring Rhode Island in line with the national and regional standards. The bill would also require 300 hours of supervision to be conducted with families or couples, favoring quality over quantity for supervision hours.
AAMFT thanks our LMFT members in both Kentucky and Rhode Island, and our Access MFTs partners the Rhode Island Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, for their efforts in support of these bills. For more information on licensure portability, visit www.accessmfts.org.
