EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*hb1521*
HOUSE BILL 1521
J2 5lr3627
CF SB 379
By: Delegates Woods, Alston, Martinez, and Taylor
Introduced and read first time: February 20, 2025
Assigned to: Rules and Executive Nominations
Re–referred to: Health and Government Operations, February 25, 2025
Committee Report: Favorable
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 7, 2025
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
State Board of Social Work Examiners – Membership and Examination 2
Requirements 3
FOR the purpose of repealing the examination requirements for bachelor and master social 4
worker licenses; altering the number of consumer members on the State Board of 5
Social Work Examiners; and generally relating to the regulation of social workers. 6
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 7
Article – Health Occupations 8
Section 19–201, 19–301(a), and 19–302(b) and (c) 9
Annotated Code of Maryland 10
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 11
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 12
Article – Health Occupations 13
Section 19–202(a)(1) and (2) and 19–302(a), (d), and (e) 14
Annotated Code of Maryland 15
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 16
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEM BLY OF MARYLAND, 17
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 18
Article – Health Occupations 19
2 HOUSE BILL 1521
19–201. 1
There is a State Board of Social Work Examiners in the Department. 2
19–202. 3
(a) (1) The Board consists of [12] 14 members. 4
(2) Of the [12] 14 Board members: 5
(i) 10 shall be licensed social workers of whom: 6
1. Subject to paragraph (3) of this subsection, 1 is a licensed 7
bachelor social worker; 8
2. Subject to paragraph (3) of this subsection, 1 is a licensed 9
master social worker at the time of appointment; 10
3. Subject to paragraph (3) of this subsection, at least 1 is: 11
A. A licensed certified social worker; or 12
B. A licensed master social worker who is approved for 13
independent practice; 14
4. Subject to paragraph (3) of this subsection, at least 4 are 15
licensed certified social workers–clinical; 16
5. 1 is a licensed social worker employed by the Department 17
of Human Services; and 18
6. Subject to paragraph (3) of this subsection, 1 is a licensed 19
social worker who is: 20
A. Primarily engaged in social worker education at a social 21
work program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education; and 22
B. Nominated from a list of names submitted by the deans 23
and directors of the Maryland Social Work Education Programs; and 24
(ii) [2] 4 shall be consumer members. 25
19–301. 26
(a) Except as otherwise provided in this title, an individual shall be: 27
HOUSE BILL 1521 3
(1) Licensed by the Board before the individual may practice social work in 1
this State while representing oneself as a social worker; or 2
(2) Licensed as a certified social worker–clinical before the individual may 3
practice clinical social work in this State. 4
19–302. 5
(a) To obtain a license, an applicant shall demonstrate to the satisfaction of the 6
Board that the applicant: 7
(1) Has submitted a complete written application in the form prescribed by 8
the Board; 9
(2) Is at least 18 years old; 10
(3) Is of good moral character; 11
[(4) Except as otherwise provided in this title, has successfully passed an 12
examination or examinations prescribed by the Board pertinent to the license sought;] 13
[(5)] (4) Has paid all applicable fees specified by the Board; 14
[(6)] (5) Has completed a criminal history records check in accordance 15
with § 19–302.2 of this subtitle at the applicant’s expense; and 16
[(7)] (6) Has submitted to an examination if required under § 19–302.3 of 17
this subtitle. 18
(b) To obtain a bachelor social worker license, an applicant shall: 19
(1) Meet the requirements of subsection (a) of this section; and 20
(2) Have received a baccalaureate degree in social work from a program 21
that is accredited or is a candidate for accreditation by the Council on Social Work 22
Education or an equivalent organization approved by the Council on Social Work 23
Education. 24
(c) To obtain a master social worker license, an applicant shall: 25
(1) Meet the requirements of subsection (a) of this section; and 26
(2) Have received a master’s degree from a program that is accredited or is 27
a candidate for accreditation by the Council on Social Work Education or an equivalent 28
organization approved by the Council on Social Work Education. 29
4 HOUSE BILL 1521
(d) Except as provided in § 19–302.1 of this subtitle, to obtain a certified social 1
worker license, on or before December 31, 2023, an applicant shall: 2
(1) Meet the requirements of subsection (a) of this section; 3
(2) Have received a master’s degree from a program accredited by the 4
Council on Social Work Education or an equivalent organization approved by the Council 5
on Social Work Education; [and] 6
(3) EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE P ROVIDED IN THIS TITL E, HAVE 7
SUCCESSFULLY PASSED AN EXAMINATION OR EX AMINATIONS PRESCRIBE D BY THE 8
BOARD PERTINENT TO TH E LICENSE SOUGHT ; AND 9
[(3)] (4) Provide in a form prescribed by the Board, documentation of 10
having completed 2 years as a licensee with supervised experience of at least 3,000 hours 11
after receiving the master’s degree with a minimum of 100 hours of periodic face–to–face 12
supervision in the practice of social work under the terms and conditions that the Board 13
determines by regulation. 14
(e) Except as provided in § 19–302.1 of this subtitle, to obtain a certified social 15
worker–clinical license, an applicant shall: 16
(1) Meet the requirements of subsection (a) of this section; 17
(2) Have received a master’s degree in social work and documentation of 18
completion of 12 academic credits in clinical course work from a program accredited by the 19
Council on Social Work Education or an equivalent organization approved by the Council 20
on Social Work Education, with a minimum of 6 of the 12 academic credits obtained in a 21
master’s degree program; [and] 22
(3) EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE P ROVIDED IN THIS TITL E, HAVE 23
SUCCESSFULLY PASSED AN EXAMINATION OR EX AMINATIONS PRESCRIBE D BY THE 24
BOARD PERTINENT TO TH E LICENSE SOUGHT ; AND 25
[(3)] (4) Provide in a form prescribed by the Board, documentation of 26
having completed 2 years as a licensee with supervised experience of at least 3,000 hours, 27
of which 1,500 hours are in face–to–face client contact, after receiving the master’s degree 28
with a minimum of 100 hours of periodic face–to–face supervision in the assessment, 29
formulation of a diagnostic impression, and treatment of behavioral health disorders and 30
other conditions and the provision of psychotherapy under the terms and conditions that 31
the Board determines by regulation. 32
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 33
October 1, 2025. 34