LEGISLATIVE SERVICES AGENCY
OFFICE OF FISCAL AND MANAGEMENT ANALYSIS
200 W. Washington St., Suite 301
Indianapolis, IN 46204
(317) 233-0696
iga.in.gov
FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENT
LS 6525 NOTE PREPARED: Jan 25, 2024
BILL NUMBER: HB 1138 BILL AMENDED: Jan 25, 2024
SUBJECT: Professional Licensing Matters.
FIRST AUTHOR: Rep. Goss-Reaves BILL STATUS: CR Adopted - 1
st
House
FIRST SPONSOR:
FUNDS AFFECTED:XGENERAL IMPACT: State
DEDICATED
FEDERAL
Summary of Legislation: (Amended) Removal of Quality Review References – The bill removes references
to a quality review in provisions relating to the licensing of accountants. The bill requires the Indiana Board
of Accountancy (Accountancy Board) to adopt rules requiring the firm to allow the administering entity to
provide access to the results of its most recently accepted peer review and other objective information to the
Accountancy Board.
Availability of Peer Review Reports– The bill removes language requiring the administering entity to make
a peer review report available to the oversight committee not more than 30 days after the issuance of the peer
review report. The bill provides that the results of a peer review may be treated as a complaint submitted by
the Accountancy Board. The bill removes language requiring the peer review committee issuing a report to
cooperate with an investigation of a complaint.
Use of Titles– The bill allows the use of certain titles by an individual who is enrolled in or has graduated
from a school or college of architecture or an accredited curriculum of landscape architecture.
Social Worker License– The bill allows an individual to take the examination provided by the Behavioral
Health and Human Services Licensing Board (BHHS Board) for a license as a social worker if the individual:
(1) is enrolled in the last term of the last year of a program leading to a degree that meets the educational
requirements; and (2) provides a letter of good standing from the director of the social work department or
the director's designee. It specifies requirements for a letter of good standing.
Effective Date: July 1, 2024.
HB 1138 1 Explanation of State Expenditures: (Revised) Removal of Quality Review References– This provision
removes obsolete date references. The Professional Licensing Agency (PLA) would likely not need to update
license holders, but if they choose to do so, the administrative workload to the PLA would be routine.
(Revised) Availability of Peer Review Reports– The PLA may need to update practitioners and administering
entities of the changes made under the bill. It is likely the PLA would be able to make the necessary updates
or other implementation within their existing level of resources and staffing.
(Revised) Use of Titles– The PLA may need to follow-up with practitioners in the areas of architecture and
landscape architecture regarding the use of titles, as described in the bill. This is a routine function of the
PLA and can be accomplished within their existing resource levels.
Social Worker License– The PLA would likely need to modify their application form and update their
operating system to accommodate pre-graduation testing for final term students in social work taking the
BHHS Board exam without a license application.
The cost of updating the operating system could range up to $38,000 in either existing staff cost (if handled
in-house) or as new expenditures (if outsourced to their technology vendor). The actual expenditure impact
would depend on any technology upgrades contractually agreed upon between the PLA and their system
vendor to make the necessary upgrade. Without an additional appropriation or augmentation, the technology
upgrade expenditures would be made from within the PLA’s existing budget.
Additionally, the private testing service requires an application, including fees, to be paid to the BHHS Board
prior to the student taking the examination. The BHHS Board must then approve these applications prior to
allowing the student to take the exam. Allowing additional students to take the exam may result in the BHHS
Board and the PLA processing more applications in FY 2025.
Additional Information– There were 3,607 social worker and 6,633 clinical social worker active licenses as
of June 30, 2023. There were approximately 1,400 new applications in total for both social worker licenses
during FY 2023.
The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) is the test provider for Indiana social worker licensing.
The NASW currently requires a social worker program graduate to submit their application to the BHHS
Board, with the Board approving the application, prior to taking the examination for licensure.
Explanation of State Revenues:
Explanation of Local Expenditures:
Explanation of Local Revenues:
State Agencies Affected: Behavioral Health and Human Services Licensing Board, Indiana Board of
Accountancy, Professional Licensing Agency.
Local Agencies Affected:
Information Sources: OFMA’s PLA license cost estimator;
https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.naswin.org/resource/resmgr/licensing_information_/2021-22_Licensing_se
HB 1138 2 ssion_FA.pdf;
https://www.in.gov/pla/professions/behavioral-health-and-human-services/behavioral-health-and-human-
services-licensing-information/#Bachelor_Social_Worker__LBSW___Bachelor_Level.
Fiscal Analyst: Chris Baker, 317-232-9851.
HB 1138 3