The bill aims to amend the Social Work Licensing Act by removing the requirement of "good moral character" as a qualification for obtaining a Licensed Master Social Worker and Licensed Certified Social Worker license in Arkansas. Specifically, the language "Has good moral character;" is deleted from the qualifications outlined in Arkansas Code 17-103-306 for both types of licenses. This change reflects a shift in the criteria for licensure, focusing on educational qualifications, examination results, and background checks rather than moral character assessments. In addition to the removal of the moral character requirement, the bill maintains other existing qualifications, such as the necessity for a master's degree in social work, passing an approved examination, and undergoing a criminal background check. The amendments also ensure that applicants must be physically and mentally competent to provide social work services and have not engaged in fraudulent activities during the application process. Overall, the bill seeks to streamline the licensing process for social workers in Arkansas by eliminating subjective moral character evaluations.

Statutes affected:
HB 1136: 17-103-306(b), 17-103-306(c)