Board Meetings, Agendas, and How to Comment on Proposed Rules

Most practitioners learn about a rule change when a renewal form asks for something new. By then the change has usually been discussed at several public meetings, published for comment, and adopted. Following the process earlier takes less time than it sounds and gives you notice, and sometimes influence, well before anything takes effect.

Meetings run on a published calendar

Boards typically set a meeting schedule for the year and post it on their website. Open meeting laws in most states require advance public notice and an agenda, and many boards now stream meetings or allow remote attendance. Look for a page called meetings, board calendar, or public notices. If the board offers an email list, join it; that is the easiest way to see agendas when they are posted.

Reading an agenda for signals

Agendas are terse, so learn to read the items. A line referencing a committee report, a rules review, or a named rule section suggests drafting work in progress. Items on continuing education, supervision, telehealth, or endorsement deserve attention if you hold or plan to hold a license in that state. Meeting packets, when posted, often include draft rule text and staff memos that explain the reasoning. Minutes from earlier meetings show how long an item has been under discussion and which board members are driving it.

Listening to committees and workgroups

Much of the substantive work happens in smaller committees before anything reaches the full board. These meetings are often public too, with less formal agendas and more room for discussion. A practitioner who attends a committee meeting and offers a brief, specific observation about how a draft would work in practice may be heard at a stage where the language is still flexible.

Commenting during the formal period

When a board formally proposes a rule, it publishes notice with the text and a deadline for written comments, and often schedules a public hearing. The notice may appear on the board's site and in the state's official register of administrative rules. The process details, including how long the period runs, differ by state, so read the notice itself.

A useful comment identifies the section, describes the concrete effect on clients or clinicians, and offers alternative language. Comments that say only that a rule is burdensome are easy to set aside. Comments that show, for example, how a supervision documentation requirement would affect therapists licensed in several states give the board something to act on. Submit through the method in the notice and keep a copy.

Knowing where rules end and statutes begin

Boards can only adopt rules within the authority their practice act grants. Some changes, including adopting Access MFTs, require the legislature. Seventeen states have done that as of September 2026, and Oregon and Wisconsin have announced plans for their 2027 sessions. For those, follow bill tracking and committee hearings at the legislature, and watch the board's meetings afterward, since rules implementing a new statute come next.

Working through your association

State AAMFT divisions and other professional groups often track board agendas and coordinate comments. Joining that effort multiplies your voice and helps the board hear consistent information. Individual comments still matter, especially when they describe practice experience the association's summary does not capture.