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SENATE FLOOR VERSION
April 4, 2024
ENGROSSED HOUSE
BILL NO. 3015 By: Boatman and Pittman 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, Section 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 practice of social work;
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5. Have passed the necessary examination and paid all fe es
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 the national criminal history record check
shall be paid by the applicant and submitted to 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 Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.
B. If the results of the national crim inal 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 substantially relates to the occupation of a
social worker and poses a reasonabl e 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 program or both and has passed the
examination provided for under these provisio ns or who has 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 for 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 Worker's Licensing Act;
3. As a licensed social worker (LSW) who has a master's degree
in social work from an accredited institution or an approved social
work program or both and ha s two (2) years of full -time three
thousand (3,000) hours of postgraduate experience in the practice of
social work under professional supervision of a p erson licensed
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 worker (LCSW) who has a
master's degree in social work from an accredited in stitution 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 from an
accredited institution o r an approved social work program or both
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and has two (2) years of full -time three thousand (3,000) hou rs of
postgraduate experience in the practice of administrative 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.
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 continuall y since the time of initial full licensure
post-provisional term and comply with all other state requir ements
shall be licensed by the Board.
E. No person may engage in the private practice 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 in 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 excludes 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 stating that the person has met t he
definition of a qualified person under this section shall, upon
approval of the statement by the Boa rd, be entitled to engage in the
independent practice of social work without having to meet the two -
year postgraduate supervision requirement specified i n 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 worke r (LMSW) prior to
board approval of postgraduate supervision for licensure as
specified in paragraphs 3, 4 and 5 of subsection 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 conduc t
for which the person was convicted has a direct bearing on the
fitness or ability to perform one or more of the duties or
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 and has a bearing on the fitness or ability
to serve the public or work with others in the occupation.
SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2024.
COMMITTEE REPORT BY: COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
April 4, 2024 - DO PASS