A South Florida senator Tuesday filed a proposal that calls for state regulation and licensure of music therapists.

The bill, filed by state Sen. Jeff Clemens, D-Lake Worth, says "the practice of music therapy should be subject to regulation to ensure the highest degree of professional conduct and to guarantee the availability of music therapy services provided by qualified professionals. This … is intended to protect the public from unqualified music therapists."

The bill ( SB 204), which will be considered during the 2016 legislative session, would put music therapists under the same part of the Florida Department of Health that oversees a wide range of medical professions.

Known as the Division of Medical Quality Assurance, that part of the department includes such things as the Board of Medicine, the Board of Nursing and the Board of Pharmacy.

Clemens' bill, in part, would create a Music Therapy Advisory Committee and set licensing requirements.

As of Jan. 1, 2017, people who are not licensed could not use the title "music therapist" or practice music therapy.

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