| 1 | 1 | | BILL AS INTRODUCED H.322 |
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| 2 | 2 | | 2025 Page 1 of 3 |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | VT LEG #379505 v.3 |
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| 6 | 6 | | H.322 1 |
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| 7 | 7 | | Introduced by Representatives Rachelson of Burlington and Cina of 2 |
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| 8 | 8 | | Burlington 3 |
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| 9 | 9 | | Referred to Committee on 4 |
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| 10 | 10 | | Date: 5 |
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| 11 | 11 | | Subject: Professional regulation; social workers; licensure 6 |
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| 12 | 12 | | Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to prohibit the 7 |
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| 13 | 13 | | use of a person’s name or advertising services in connection with the title 8 |
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| 14 | 14 | | “social worker” unless the individual is licensed under 26 V.S.A. chapter 61. 9 |
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| 15 | 15 | | It further proposes to specify that the Council of Social Work Education 10 |
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| 16 | 16 | | accredits social work programs for the purpose of licensure under 26 V.S.A. 11 |
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| 17 | 17 | | chapter 61. 12 |
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| 18 | 18 | | An act relating to social worker licensure requirements 13 |
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| 19 | 19 | | It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: 14 |
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| 20 | 20 | | Sec. 1. 26 V.S.A. § 3202 is amended to read: 15 |
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| 21 | 21 | | § 3202. PROHIBITION; OFFENSES 16 |
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| 22 | 22 | | (a) A person shall not practice or attempt to practice licensed independent 17 |
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| 23 | 23 | | clinical social work or licensed master’s social work, nor shall any person use 18 |
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| 24 | 24 | | in connection with the person’s name any letters, words, or insignia indicating 19 |
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| 25 | 25 | | or implying that the person is a licensed independent clinical social worker or a 20 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.322 |
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| 26 | 26 | | 2025 Page 2 of 3 |
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| 27 | 27 | | |
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| 28 | 28 | | |
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| 29 | 29 | | VT LEG #379505 v.3 |
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| 30 | 30 | | licensed master’s social worker unless the person is licensed in accordance 1 |
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| 31 | 31 | | with this chapter. 2 |
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| 32 | 32 | | (b) A person who violates any of the provisions of subsection (a) of this 3 |
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| 33 | 33 | | section shall be subject to the penalties provided in 3 V.S.A. § 127. Unless a 4 |
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| 34 | 34 | | person has earned a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree from a social work 5 |
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| 35 | 35 | | program accredited by the Council of Social Work Education or its successor, 6 |
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| 36 | 36 | | the person shall not: 7 |
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| 37 | 37 | | (1) use the title “social worker” or any initials associated with the title; 8 |
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| 38 | 38 | | or 9 |
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| 39 | 39 | | (2) advertise services under the description of “social worker.” 10 |
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| 40 | 40 | | (c) A Neither a State agency or a subdivision or contractor thereof, nor a 11 |
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| 41 | 41 | | private entity, shall not use or permit the use of the title “social worker” other 12 |
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| 42 | 42 | | than in relation to an employee holding a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral 13 |
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| 43 | 43 | | degree from an accredited school or program of a social work program 14 |
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| 44 | 44 | | accredited by the Council of Social Work Education or its successor. 15 |
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| 45 | 45 | | (d) A person who violates any of the provisions of this section shall be 16 |
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| 46 | 46 | | subject to the penalties provided in 3 V.S.A. § 127. 17 |
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| 47 | 47 | | Sec. 2. 26 V.S.A. § 3205 is amended to read: 18 |
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| 48 | 48 | | § 3205. LICENSED MASTER’S SOCIAL WORKER ELIGIBILITY 19 |
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| 49 | 49 | | To be eligible for licensing as a licensed master’s social worker, an 20 |
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| 50 | 50 | | applicant must have: 21 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.322 |
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| 51 | 51 | | 2025 Page 3 of 3 |
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| 52 | 52 | | |
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| 53 | 53 | | |
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| 54 | 54 | | VT LEG #379505 v.3 |
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| 55 | 55 | | (1) received a master’s degree or doctoral degree from an accredited 1 |
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| 56 | 56 | | social work education program a social work program accredited by the 2 |
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| 57 | 57 | | Council of Social Work Education or its successor; and 3 |
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| 58 | 58 | | (2) within five years prior to applying for licensure, passed the 4 |
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| 59 | 59 | | examinations designated by the Director. 5 |
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| 60 | 60 | | Sec. 3. 26 V.S.A. § 3205a is amended to read: 6 |
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| 61 | 61 | | § 3205a. LICENSED INDEPENDENT CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER 7 |
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| 62 | 62 | | ELIGIBILITY 8 |
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| 63 | 63 | | (a) To be eligible for licensure as a licensed independent clinical social 9 |
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| 64 | 64 | | worker, an applicant must have: 10 |
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| 65 | 65 | | (1) received a master’s degree or doctoral degree from an accredited 11 |
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| 66 | 66 | | social work education program a social work program accredited by the 12 |
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| 67 | 67 | | Council of Social Work Education or its successor; 13 |
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| 68 | 68 | | * * * 14 |
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| 69 | 69 | | Sec. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE 15 |
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| 70 | 70 | | This act shall take effect on July 1, 2025. 16 |
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