(a) Twelve (12) months after the constitution of the Association, as provided in § 2684 of this title, a person who is not a member thereof or who is completing the process to become or to be admitted as a member may not practice as a rehabilitation counselor. Once the Association is constituted, the Association shall publish edicts in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation in Puerto Rico in intervals of fifteen (15) days during three (3) months to notify the professional rehabilitation counselors in the practice of the profession in the Island of said provision.\n(b) No person or private entity, agency or dependency of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico shall enter into a contract, agreement, or covenant, or shall solicit or receive rehabilitation counseling services from natural or juridical persons that do not comply or show evidence of compliance with the requirements established in this chapter and in the bylaws approved thereunder. The Association is hereby empowered by this provision to initiate the corresponding action in order to enforce this chapter. In the case of a juridical person, the action may be filed either against it or against any other person related, this provision to initiate the corresponding action in order to enforce this chapter. In the case of a juridical person, the action may be filed either against it or against any other person related, contracted or hired by it who is in the practice of the profession of rehabilitation counseling in violation of the provisions of this chapter.\n(c) All persons authorized to practice the profession of rehabilitation counselor in accordance with the criteria established in § 2659 of this title, shall meet the requirement of compulsory membership provided in this section.\nHistory —Aug. 16, 2006, No. 160, § 8.
Puerto Rico Legal Code