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ENGROSSED HOUSE
BILL NO. 3015 By: Boatman of the House
and
Garvin of the Senate
An Act relating to professions and occupations;
amending 59 O.S. 2021, Section 1261. 1, which relates
to social worker licensing requirements; modifying
certain schooling qualifications; and providing an
effective date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 59 O.S. 2021, Sec tion 1261.1, is
amended to read as follows :
Section 1261.1 A. To obtain a license under the Social
Worker's Licensing Act, an applicant shall:
1. Submit a written application in a form prescribed by the
State Board of Licensed Social Workers;
2. Have attained the age of majority;
3. Have graduated and received a degree in social work from an
approved social work program;
4. Have completed any necessary post graduate experience and
supervision in the practic e of social work;
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5. Have passed the necessa ry examination and paid all fees
required by the Board; and
6. Submit to a national criminal history record check, as
defined by Section 150.9 of Title 74 of the Oklahoma Statutes. The
costs associated with th e national criminal history record check
shall be paid by the applicant and submitted t o the Board at the
time of application. With the required fee, the applicant shall
provide to the Board two classifiable sets of fingerprints to be
provided to the Okla homa State Bureau of Investigation.
B. If the results of the national criminal history record check
required by subsection A of this section reveal that the applicant
has been convicted of, or pled guilty or nolo contendere to, any
felony crime that subst antially relates to the occupation of a
social worker and poses a reasonable threat to public safety, the
individual's application for licensure may be disapproved and no
further action shall be taken on the application.
C. Upon certification by the Board , the Board shall authorize
the issuance of social work licenses to persons who qualify as
follows:
1. As a licensed social work associate (LSWA) who has a
baccalaureate degree in social work from an accredited institution
or an approved social work progr am or both and has passed the
examination provided for under these provisions or who ha s a
doctoral or master's degree in social work from an institution with
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a program accredited by an approved social work program and has
passed the examination provided f or under these provisions;
2. As a licensed master's social worker (LMSW) who has a
master's degree in social work from an accredited institution or an
approved social work program or both and has passed the examination
provided for under the Social Worke r's Licensing Act;
3. As a licensed social w orker (LSW) who has a master's degree
in social work from an accredited institution or an approved social
work program or both and has two (2) years of full -time three
thousand (3,000) hours of postgraduate experie nce in the practice of
social work under professional supervision of a person licens ed
under those provisions, and who has passed the examination provided
for under the provisions of the Social Worker 's Licensing Act;
4. As a licensed clinical social work er (LCSW) who has a
master's degree in social work from an accredited institution or an
approved social work program or both and has two (2) years of full -
time three thousand (3,000) hours of postgraduate experience in the
practice of clinical social work under professional supervision of a
person licensed by the Social Worker's Licensing Act, and who has
passed the examination provided for under the Social Worker 's
Licensing Act; and
5. As a licensed social worker with administration specialty
(LSW-ADM) who has a master's degree in social work fr om an
accredited institution or an approve d social work program or both
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and has two (2) years of full -time three thousand (3,000) hours of
postgraduate experience in the practice of administrative social
work under professional supervision of a person lice nsed by the
Social Worker's Licensing Act, and who has passed the examination
provided for under the Social Worker 's Licensing Act.
D. Applicants who have been licensed as an LSWA, LMSW, LSW,
LCSW or LSW-ADM in good standing in another state for a minimum of
three (3) years continually since the time of initial full licensure
post-provisional term and comply with all other state requirements
shall be licensed by the Board.
E. No person may engage in the private pr actice of clinical
social work unless that person:
1. Is licensed under the Social Worker's Licensing Act as a
licensed clinical social worker (LCSW); and
2. Continues to meet continuing education requirements set by
the Board.
F. No person may engage i n an independent social work practice
unless that person:
1. Is licensed under the Social Worker's Licensing Act as a
licensed clinical social worker (LCSW), licensed social worker with
administration specialty (LSW -ADM) or licensed social worker (LSW).
This specifically and intentionally exclud es licensed social work
associates (LSWA) and licensed masters social workers (LMSW); and
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2. Continues to meet continuing education requirements set by
the Board.
G. Any qualified person who files by February 1, 2012, a sworn
statement with the Board sta ting that the person has met the
definition of a qualified person under this section shall, upon
approval of the statement by the Board, be entitled to engage in the
independent practice of social work without havi ng to meet the two-
year postgraduate super vision requirement specified in paragraphs 3,
4 and 5 of subsection C of this section.
H. Any person seeking to pursue postgraduate supervision for
the licensed social worker (LSW), licensed social worker with
administration specialty (LSW -ADM), or licensed clinical social
worker (LCSW) must hold licensure status of licensed social work
associate (LSWA) or licensed masters social worker (LMSW) prior to
board approval of postgraduate supervision for licensure as
specified in paragraphs 3, 4 and 5 of subsect ion C of this section.
I. As used in this section, "qualified person" means a person
who:
1. Currently holds an active social worker license from the
Board; and
2. Has held a social worker license from the Board continuously
during the ten-year period immediately prior to November 1, 2011.
J. H. As used in this section:
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1. "Substantially relates " means the nature of criminal conduct
for which the person was convicted has a direct bearing on the
fitness or ability to perform one or more of the duties o r
responsibilities necessarily related to the occupation; and
2. "Poses a reasonable threat" means the nature of criminal
conduct for which the person was convicted involved an act or threat
of harm against another an d has a bearing on the fitness or abil ity
to serve the public or work with other s in the occupation.
SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2024.
Passed the House of Representatives the 4th day of March, 2024.
Presiding Officer of the House
of Representatives
Passed the Senate the ___ day of __________, 2024.
Presiding Officer of the Senate