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SENATE BILL 18
J2 EMERGENCY BILL (6lr1159)
ENROLLED BILL
— Finance/Health —
Introduced by Senator M. Washington
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.
______________________________________________
President.
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 individual 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
Annotated Code of Maryland 12
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 13
2 SENATE BILL 18
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 1
Article – Health Occupations 2
Section 19–309.1 19–101(e) 3
Annotated Code of Maryland 4
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 5
BY adding to 6
Article – Health Occupations 7
Section 19–101(o–1) and 19–309.2 8
Annotated Code of Maryland 9
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 10
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 11
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 12
Article – Health Occupations 13
19–101. 14
(a) In this title the following words have the meanings indicated. 15
(c–1) “Conditional license” means a license issued by the Board under, and as 16
limited by, § 19–309.1 of this title to practice: 17
(1) Bachelor social work; or 18
(2) Master social work. 19
(e) “License” means, unless the context requires otherwise: 20
(1) One of four categories of licenses issued by the Board authorizing an 21
individual to practice: 22
(i) Bachelor social work; 23
(ii) Master social work; 24
(iii) Certified social work; or 25
(iv) Certified social work–clinical; or 26
(2) A conditional license issued by the Board; OR 27
(3) A PROVISIONAL LICENSE ISSUED BY THE BOARD. 28
SENATE BILL 18 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 T HE 7
EXAMINATION OTHERWISE REQUIRED U NDER THIS 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; AND 28
(3) SHALL TERMINATE AUTOMATICALLY ON: 29
4 SENATE BILL 18
(I) THE EXPIRATION DATE; OR 1
(II) IF THE HOLDER APPLIES AND QUALIFIES FOR A LICENSE 2
UNDER SUBSECTION (E) OF THIS SECTION , THE DATE THAT THE FU LL LICENSE IS 3
ISSUED. 4
(D) A HOLDER OF A PROVISIONAL LICENSE AND THE SUPERVISING SOCIAL 5
WORKER ARE JOINTLY R ESPONSIBLE FOR ENSUR ING COMPLIANCE WITH THE 6
SUPERVISION AND EXPIRATION REQUIREMENTS OF SUBSECTIONS (B)(2) AND (C) OF 7
THIS SECTION. 8
(E) THE BOARD SHALL ISSUE A F ULL LICENSE UNDER § 19–302 OF THIS 9
SUBTITLE TO A HOLDER OF A PROVISIONAL LICENSE WHO DEMONSTRATES TO THE 10
SATISFACTION OF THE BOARD THAT THE HOLDER HAS ACHIEVED A SATISFACTORY 11
SCORE ON AN EXAMINATION, AS REQUIRED UNDER § 19–302 OF THIS SUBTITLE. 12
(F) SUPERVISED HOURS COMPLETED UNDER A PROVISIONAL LICENSE: 13
(1) MAY BE COUNTED TOWARD THE SUPERVISED EXPER IENCE 14
REQUIRED FOR INDEPEN DENT PRACTICE APPROV AL UNDER § 19–302(F) OF THIS 15
SUBTITLE; AND 16
(2) MAY NOT BE COUNTED TOWARD TH E SUPERVISED EXPERIE NCE 17
REQUIRED TO QUALIFY FOR A CERTIFIED SOCI AL WORKER –CLINICAL LICENSE 18
UNDER § 19–302(E) OF THIS SUBTITLE. 19
(G) THE BOARD SHALL ADOPT REGULATIONS TO CARRY OUT THIS SECTION, 20
INCLUDING REGULATIONS THAT ESTABLISH: 21
(1) MINIMUM SUPERVISION R EQUIREMENTS AND REPO RTING 22
PROCEDURES; 23
(2) STANDARDS FOR EVALUAT ING SUPERVISED PRACT ICE AS 24
DESCRIBED IN SUBSECTION (E)(2) OF THIS SECTION; 25
(3) REQUIREMENTS TO ENSUR E THAT THE TRACKING OF 26
PROVISIONAL LICENSES ALIGNS WITH EXISTING LICENSURE CYCLES; AND 27
(4) A REASONABLE FEE FOR T HE ISSUANCE OF A PRO VISIONAL 28
LICENSE SUFFICIENT TO COVER ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS. 29
(H) ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 31 EACH YEAR, BEGINNING IN 2026 2027, 30
THE BOARD SHALL REPORT TO THE SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE AND THE HOUSE 31
SENATE BILL 18 5
HEALTH COMMITTEE, IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT 1
ARTICLE, THE FOLLOWING INFORM ATION FOR THE IMMEDI ATELY PRECEDING 2
12–MONTH PERIOD: 3
(1) THE NUMBER OF PROVISIONAL LICENSES ISSUED; 4
(2) THE NUMBER OF HOLDERS OF PROVISIONAL LICEN SES WHO 5
OBTAINED FULL LICENSURE UNDER SUBSECTION (E) OF THIS SECTION; AND 6
(3) ANY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVING: 7
(I) THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS SECTION; AND 8
(II) THE IMPACT OF THIS SECTION ON THE HEALTH CARE 9
WORKFORCE. 10
19–309.1. 11
(a) [If an administrative delay for any reason or an unforeseen circumstance, act, 12
or occurrence prevents an examination required under this subtitle from being available to 13
an applicant for a period of at least 15 business days, the] THE Board [may] SHALL issue 14
a conditional license to an applicant who, except for passing the examination OTHERWISE 15
REQUIRED UNDER THIS SUBTITLE, has met the appropriate education and experience 16
requirements of this subtitle for a license issued under § 19–302 of this subtitle to practice: 17
(1) Bachelor social work; or 18
(2) Master social work. 19
(b) A conditional license issued under this section [authorizes]: 20
(1) AUTHORIZES the holder to practice social work in th e State only 21
WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THE SPECIFIC CATEGORY OF LICENSE ISSUED BY THE BOARD; 22
(2) REQUIRES THE HOLDER T O PRACTICE under the supervision of a 23
Board–approved supervisor [while the conditional license is effective ] IN ACCORDANCE 24
WITH REGULATIONS ADOPTED UNDER THIS SECTION; AND 25
(3) MAY BE ISSUED ONLY TO AN INITIAL APPLICANT FOR LICENSURE 26
WHO HAS NOT PREVIOUSLY BEEN LICENSED UNDER THIS TITLE. 27
(c) A conditional license [is valid until 180 days after the examinatio n becomes 28
readily available to the applicant]: 29
6 SENATE BILL 18
(1) EXPIRES ON A DATE SET BY THE BOARD THAT IS AT LEAS T 12 1
MONTHS, BUT NOT MORE THAN 24 MONTHS, AFTER THE DATE OF ISSUANCE; 2
(2) MAY NOT BE RENEWED; AND 3
(3) SHALL TERMINATE AUTOMATICALLY ON: 4
(I) THE EXPIRATION DATE; OR 5
(II) IF THE HOLDER APPLIES AND QUALIFIES FOR A LICENSE 6
UNDER SUBSECTION (E) OF THIS SECTION , THE DATE THAT THE FU LL LICENSE IS 7
ISSUED. 8
(D) A HOLDER OF A CONDITIONAL LICENSE UNDER THIS SECTION AND THE 9
SUPERVISING SOCIAL W ORKER ARE JOINTLY RE SPONSIBLE FOR ENSURI NG 10
COMPLIANCE WITH THE SUPERVISION AND EXPI RATION REQUIREMENTS OF 11
SUBSECTIONS (B)(2) AND (C) OF THIS SECTION. 12
(E) THE BOARD SHALL IS SUE A FULL LICENSE U NDER § 19–302 OF THIS 13
SUBTITLE TO A HOLDER OF A CONDITIONAL LIC ENSE UNDER THIS SECT ION WHO 14
DEMONSTRATES TO THE SATISFACTION OF THE BOARD THAT THE HOLDER HAS: 15
(1) ACHIEVED A SATISFACTO RY SCORE ON AN EXAMI NATION, AS 16
REQUIRED UNDER § 19–302 OF THIS SUBTITLE; OR 17
(2) COMPLETED AT LEAST 1,500 HOURS OF SUPERVISED 18
EXPERIENCE IN THE PR ACTICE OF SOCIAL WOR K DURING THE PERIOD OF 19
CONDITIONAL LICENSURE, AS VERIFIED BY A BOARD–APPROVED SUPERVISOR, IN 20
ACCORDANCE WITH STAN DARDS ESTABLISHED BY THE BOARD, IN CONSULTATION 21
WITH AN INSTITUTION THAT: 22
(I) IS ACCREDITED BY THE COUNCIL ON SOCIAL WORK 23
EDUCATION OR AN EQUIV ALENT ORGANIZATION A PPROVED BY THE COUNCIL ON 24
SOCIAL WORK EDUCATION; AND 25
(II) OFFERS BOTH A BACCALAUREATE DEGREE AND A MASTER’S 26
DEGREE. 27
(F) THE BOARD SHALL ADOPT REGULATIONS TO CARRY OUT THIS SECTION, 28
INCLUDING REGULATIONS THAT ESTABLISH: 29
(1) MINIMUM SUPERVISION R EQUIREMENTS AND REPO RTING 30
PROCEDURES; 31
SENATE BILL 18 7
(2) STANDARDS FOR EVALUAT ING SUPERVISED PRACT ICE AS 1
DESCRIBED IN SUBSECTION (E)(2) OF THIS SECTION; 2
(3) REQUIREMENTS TO ENSUR E THAT THE TRACKING OF 3
CONDITIONAL LICENSES ISSUED UNDER THIS SE CTION ALIGNS WITH EX ISTING 4
LICENSURE CYCLES; AND 5
(4) A REASONABLE FEE FOR T HE ISSUANCE OF A CON DITIONAL 6
LICENSE ISSUED UNDER THIS SECTI ON SUFFICIENT TO COV ER ADMINISTRATIVE 7
COSTS. 8
[(d)] (G) On or before December 31 each year, beginning in [2024,] 2026, the 9
Board shall report to the Senate Finance Committee and the House Health and 10
Government Operations Committee, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government 11
Article, the following information for the immediately preceding 12–month period: 12
[(1) Whether the examination was unavailable at any time during the 13
reporting period; and 14
(2) If the examination was unavailable: 15
(i) The number of applicants who were eligible for a conditional 16
license due to the unavailability of the examination; 17
(ii) The number of applicants who applied to take the examination; 18
(iii) The number of applications that were delayed in processing; and 19
(iv) The number of conditional licenses issued under this section.] 20
(1) THE NUMBER OF CONDITI ONAL LICENSES ISSUED UNDER THIS 21
SECTION; 22
(2) THE NUMBER OF HOLDERS OF CONDITIONAL LICEN SES WHO 23
OBTAINED FULL LICENSURE UNDER SUBSECTION (E) OF THIS SECTION; AND 24
(3) ANY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVING: 25
(I) THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS SECTION; AND 26
(II) THE I MPACT OF THIS SECTIO N ON THE HEALTH CARE 27
WORKFORCE. 28
8 SENATE BILL 18
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act is an emergency 1
measure, is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public health or safety, has 2
been passed by a yea and nay vote supported b y three–fifths of all the members elected to 3
each of the two Houses of the General Assembly, and shall take effect from the date it is 4
enacted. 5
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.