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*hb0769*
HOUSE BILL 769
J2 EMERGENCY BILL (6lr2762)
ENROLLED BILL
— Health/Finance —
Introduced by Delegates Woods, Cullison, Bhandari, Coley, Fair, J. Long, Martinez,
Roberson, Roberts, Simmons, Taylor, and Toles Toles, Alston, Bagnall,
Guzzone, Hill, S. Johnson, Kaufman, Lopez, Rosenberg, Ross, Taveras,
White Holland, and Woorman
Read and Examined by Proofreaders:
_______________________________________________
Proofreader.
_______________________________________________
Proofreader.
Sealed with the Great Seal and presented to the Governor, for his approval this
_______ day of _______________ at ________________________ o’clock, ________M.
______________________________________________
Speaker.
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
State Board of Social Work Examiners – Conditional Provisional License to 2
Practice Social Work – Revisions Established 3
FOR the purpose of altering the circumstances under which the Board of Social Work 4
Examiners may issue a conditional license to practice social work; establishing 5
alternate pathways a provisional social work license through which an individu al 6
issued a conditional provisional license may receive a full license; and generally 7
relating to licenses to practice social work. 8
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 9
Article – Health Occupations 10
Section 19–101(a), (c–1), and (e) and (c–1) 11
2 HOUSE BILL 769
Annotated Code of Maryland 1
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 2
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 3
Article – Health Occupations 4
Section 19–309.1 19–101(e) 5
Annotated Code of Maryland 6
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 7
BY adding to 8
Article – Health Occupations 9
Section 19–101(o–1) and 19–309.2 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 12
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 13
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 14
Article – Health Occupations 15
19–101. 16
(a) In this title the following words have the meanings indicated. 17
(c–1) “Conditional license” means a license issued by the Board under, and as 18
limited by, § 19–309.1 of this title to practice: 19
(1) Bachelor social work; or 20
(2) Master social work. 21
(e) “License” means, unless the context requires otherwise: 22
(1) One of four categories of licenses issued by the Board authorizing an 23
individual to practice: 24
(i) Bachelor social work; 25
(ii) Master social work; 26
(iii) Certified social work; or 27
(iv) Certified social work–clinical; or 28
(2) A conditional license issued by the Board; OR 29
(3) A PROVISIONAL LICENSE ISSUED BY THE BOARD. 30
HOUSE BILL 769 3
(O–1) “PROVISIONAL LICENSE ” MEANS A LICENSE ISSU ED BY THE BOARD 1
UNDER, AND AS LIMITED BY, § 19–309.2 OF THIS TITLE TO PRACTICE: 2
(1) BACHELOR SOCIAL WORK; OR 3
(2) MASTER SOCIAL WORK. 4
19–309.2. 5
(A) BEGINNING NOVEMBER 1, 2026, THE BOARD SHALL ISSUE A 6
PROVISIONAL LICENSE TO AN APPLICANT WHO , EXCEPT FOR PASSING THE 7
EXAMINATION OTHERWIS E REQUIRED UNDER THI S SUBTITLE , HAS MET THE 8
APPROPRIATE EDUCATIO N AND EXPERIENCE REQ UIREMENTS OF THIS SU BTITLE 9
FOR A LICENSE ISSUED UNDER § 19–302 OF THIS SUBTITLE TO PRACTICE: 10
(1) BACHELOR SOCIAL WORK; OR 11
(2) MASTER SOCIAL WORK. 12
(B) A PROVISIONAL LICENSE: 13
(1) AUTHORIZES THE HOLDER TO PRACTICE SOCIAL W ORK IN THE 14
STATE ONLY WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THE SPECIFI C CATEGORY OF LICENS E ISSUED 15
BY THE BOARD; 16
(2) REQUIRES THE HOLDER TO PRACTICE UNDER THE SUPERVISION 17
OF A BOARD–APPROVED SUPERVISOR IN ACCORDANCE WITH R EGULATIONS 18
ADOPTED UNDER THIS SECTION; 19
(3) MAY BE ISSUED ONLY TO AN INITIAL APPLICANT FOR LICENSURE 20
WHO HAS NOT PREVIOUSLY BEEN LICENSED UNDER THIS TITLE; AND 21
(4) DOES NOT QUALIFY THE HOLDER FOR A MULTIST ATE LICENSE 22
UNDER THE SOCIAL WORK LICENSURE COMPACT ESTABLISHED UNDER § 19–3A–01 23
OF THIS TITLE. 24
(C) A PROVISIONAL LICENSE: 25
(1) EXPIRES ON A DATE SET BY THE BOARD THAT IS AT LEAS T 12 26
MONTHS, BUT NOT MORE THAN 24 MONTHS, AFTER THE DATE OF ISSUANCE; 27
(2) MAY NOT BE RENEWED FOR AN ADDITIONAL TE RM NOT 28
EXCEEDING 24 MONTHS; AND 29
4 HOUSE BILL 769
(3) SHALL TERMINATE AUTOMATICALLY ON: 1
(I) THE EXPIRATION DATE; OR 2
(II) IF THE HOLDER APPLIES AND QUALIFIES FOR A LICENSE 3
UNDER SUBSECTION (E) OF THIS SECTION , THE DATE THAT THE FU LL LICENSE IS 4
ISSUED. 5
(D) A HOLDER OF A PROVISIONAL LICENSE AND THE SUPERVISING SOCIAL 6
WORKER ARE JOINTLY R ESPONSIBLE FOR ENSUR ING COMPLIANCE WITH THE 7
SUPERVISION AND EXPIRATION REQUIREMENTS OF SUBSECTIONS (B)(2) AND (C) OF 8
THIS SECTION. 9
(E) THE BOARD SHALL ISSUE A F ULL LICENSE UNDER § 19–302 OF THIS 10
SUBTITLE TO A HOLDER OF A PROVISIONAL LICENSE WHO DEMONSTRATES TO THE 11
SATISFACTION OF THE BOARD THAT THE HOLDER HAS ACHIEVED A SATISFACTORY 12
SCORE ON AN EXAMINATION, AS REQUIRED UNDER § 19–302 OF THIS SUBTITLE. 13
(F) SUPERVISED HOURS COMPLETED UNDER A PROVISIONAL LICENSE: 14
(1) MAY BE COUNTED TOWARD THE SUPERVISED EXPER IENCE 15
REQUIRED FOR INDEPEN DENT PRACTICE APPROV AL UNDER § 19–302(F) OF THIS 16
SUBTITLE; AND 17
(2) MAY BE COUNTED TOWARD THE SUPERVISED EXPER IENCE 18
REQUIRED TO QUALIFY FOR A CERTIFIED SOCIAL W ORKER–CLINICAL LICENSE 19
UNDER § 19–302(E) OF THIS SUBTITLE. 20
(G) THE BOARD SHALL ADOPT REGULATIONS TO CARRY OUT THIS SECTION, 21
INCLUDING REGULATIONS THAT ESTABLISH: 22
(1) MINIMUM SUPERVISION R EQUIREMENTS AND REPO RTING 23
PROCEDURES; 24
(2) STANDARDS FOR EVALUAT ING SUPERVISED PRACT ICE AS 25
DESCRIBED IN SUBSECTION (E)(2) OF THIS SECTION; 26
(3) REQUIREMENTS TO ENSUR E THAT THE TRACKING OF 27
PROVISIONAL LICENSES ALIGNS WITH EXISTING LICENSURE CYCLES; AND 28
(4) A REASONABLE FEE FOR T HE ISSUANCE OF A PRO VISIONAL 29
LICENSE SUFFICIENT TO COVER ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS. 30
HOUSE BILL 769 5
(H) ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 31 EACH YEAR, BEGINNING IN 2027, THE 1
BOARD SHALL REPORT TO THE SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE AND THE HOUSE 2
HEALTH COMMITTEE, IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT 3
ARTICLE, THE FOLLOWING INFORM ATION FOR THE IMMEDI ATELY PRECEDI NG 4
12–MONTH PERIOD: 5
(1) THE TOTAL NUMBER OF ACTIVE LICENSEES WHO WERE LICENSED 6
WITHOUT PASSING THE EXAMINATION REQUIRED UNDER THIS SUBTITLE AND THE 7
AVERAGE NUMBER OF YEARS THOSE LICENSEES HAVE PRACTICED IN THE STATE; 8
(2) (1) THE NUMBER OF PROVISIONAL LICENSES ISSUED; 9
(3) (2) THE NUMBER OF HOLDERS OF PROVISIONAL LICENSES WHO 10
OBTAINED FULL LICENSURE UNDER SUBSECTION (E) OF THIS SECTION; AND 11
(4) (3) ANY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVING: 12
(I) THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS SECTION; AND 13
(II) THE IMPACT OF THIS SECTI ON ON THE HEALTH CAR E 14
WORKFORCE. 15
19–309.1. 16
(a) [If an administrative delay for any reason or an unforeseen circumstance, act, 17
or occurrence prevents an examination required under this subtitle from being available to 18
an applicant for a period of at least 15 business days, the] THE Board [may] SHALL issue 19
a conditional license to an applicant who, except for passing the examination OTHERWISE 20
REQUIRED UNDER THIS SUBTITLE, has met the appropriate education and experience 21
requirements of this subtitle for a license issued under § 19–302 of this subtitle to practice: 22
(1) Bachelor social work; or 23
(2) Master social work. 24
(b) A conditional license issued under this section [authorizes]: 25
(1) AUTHORIZES the holder to practice social work in the State only 26
WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THE SPECIFIC CATEGORY OF LICENSE ISSUED BY THE BOARD; 27
(2) REQUIRES THE HOLDER T O PRACTICE under the supervision of a 28
Board–approved supervisor [while the conditional license is ef fective] IN ACCORDANCE 29
WITH REGULATIONS ADOPTED UNDER THIS SECTION; AND 30
6 HOUSE BILL 769
(3) MAY BE ISSUED ONLY TO AN INITIAL APPLICANT FOR LICENSURE 1
WHO HAS NOT PREVIOUSLY BEEN LICENSED UNDER THIS TITLE. 2
(c) A conditional license [is valid until 180 days after the examination becomes 3
readily available to the applicant]: 4
(1) EXPIRES ON A DATE SET BY THE BOARD THAT IS AT LEAS T 12 5
MONTHS, BUT NOT MORE THAN 24 MONTHS, AFTER THE DATE OF ISSUANCE; 6
(2) MAY NOT BE RENEWED; AND 7
(3) SHALL TERMINATE AUTOMATICALLY ON: 8
(I) THE EXPIRATION DATE; OR 9
(II) IF THE HOLDER APPLIES AND QUALIFIES FOR A LICENSE 10
UNDER SUBSECTION (E) OF THIS SECTION , THE DATE THAT THE FU LL LICENSE IS 11
ISSUED. 12
(D) A HOLDER OF A CONDITIONAL LICENSE UNDER THIS SECTION AND THE 13
SUPERVISING SOCIAL W ORKER ARE JOINTLY RE SPONSIBLE FOR ENSURI NG 14
COMPLIANCE WITH THE SUPERVISION AND EXPI RATION REQUIREMENTS OF 15
SUBSECTIONS (B)(2) AND (C) OF THIS SECTION. 16
(E) THE BOARD SHALL IS SUE A FULL LICENSE U NDER § 19–302 OF THIS 17
SUBTITLE TO A HOLDER OF A CONDITIONAL LIC ENSE UNDER THIS SECT ION WHO 18
DEMONSTRATES TO THE SATISFACTION OF THE BOARD THAT THE HOLDER HAS: 19
(1) ACHIEVED A SATISFACTO RY SCORE ON AN EXAMI NATION, AS 20
REQUIRED UNDER § 19–302 OF THIS SUBTITLE; OR 21
(2) COMPLETED AT LEAST 1,500 HOURS OF SUPERVISED 22
EXPERIENCE IN THE PR ACTICE OF SOCIAL WOR K DURING THE PERIOD OF 23
CONDITIONAL LICENSURE, AS VERIFIED BY A BOARD–APPROVED SUPERVISOR, IN 24
ACCORDANCE WITH STAN DARDS ESTABLISHED BY THE BOARD, IN CONSULTATION 25
WITH AN INSTITUTION THAT: 26
(I) IS ACCREDITED BY THE COUNCIL ON SOCIAL WORK 27
EDUCATION OR AN EQUIV ALENT ORGANIZATION A PPROVED BY THE COUNCIL ON 28
SOCIAL WORK EDUCATION; AND 29
(II) OFFERS BOTH A BACCALAUREATE DEGREE AND A MASTER’S 30
DEGREE. 31
HOUSE BILL 769 7
(F) THE BOARD SHALL ADOPT REGULATIONS TO CARRY OUT THIS SECTION, 1
INCLUDING REGULATIONS THAT ESTABLISH: 2
(1) MINIMUM SUPERVISION R EQUIREMENTS AND REPO RTING 3
PROCEDURES; 4
(2) STANDARDS FOR EVALUAT ING SUPERVISED PRACT ICE AS 5
DESCRIBED IN SUBSECTION (E)(2) OF THIS SECTION; 6
(3) REQUIREMENTS TO ENSUR E THAT THE TRACKING OF 7
CONDITIONAL LICENSES ISSUED UNDER THIS SE CTION ALIGNS WITH EX ISTING 8
LICENSURE CYCLES; AND 9
(4) A REASONABLE FEE FOR T HE ISSUANCE OF A CON DITIONAL 10
LICENSE ISSUED UNDER THIS SEC TION SUFFICIENT TO C OVER ADMINISTRATIVE 11
COSTS. 12
[(d)] (G) On or before December 31 each year, beginning in [2024,] 2026, the 13
Board shall report to the Senate Finance Committee and the House Health and 14
Government Operations Committee, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government 15
Article, the following information for the immediately preceding 12–month period: 16
[(1) Whether the examination was unavailable at any time during the 17
reporting period; and 18
(2) If the examination was unavailable: 19
(i) The number of applicants who were eligible for a conditional 20
license due to the unavailability of the examination; 21
(ii) The number of applicants who applied to take the examination; 22
(iii) The number of applications that were delayed in processing; and 23
(iv) The number of conditional licenses issued under this section.] 24
(1) THE NUMBER OF CONDITI ONAL LICENSES I SSUED UNDER THIS 25
SECTION; 26
(2) THE NUMBER OF HOLDERS OF CONDITIONAL LICEN SES WHO 27
OBTAINED FULL LICENSURE UNDER SUBSECTION (E) OF THIS SECTION; AND 28
(3) ANY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVING: 29
8 HOUSE BILL 769
(I) THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS SECTION; AND 1
(II) THE IMPACT OF THIS SECTI ON ON THE HEALTH CAR E 2
WORKFORCE. 3
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act is an emergency 4
measure, is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public health or safety, has 5
been passed by a yea and nay vote supported by three–fifths of all the members elected to 6
each of the two Houses of the General Assembly, and shall take effect from the date it is 7
enacted. 8
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.