Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
 1   State of Arkansas
 2   94th General Assembly                        A Bill
 3   Regular Session, 2023                                                             HOUSE BILL 1136
 4
 5   By: Representative Cavenaugh
 6   By: Senators Flippo, Irvin
 7
 8                                     For An Act To Be Entitled
 9                    AN ACT TO REMOVE LICENSURE REQUIREMENT OF "GOOD MORAL
10                    CHARACTER" FROM THE SOCIAL WORK LICENSING ACT; AND
11                    FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
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14                                                 Subtitle
15                           TO REMOVE THE LICENSURE REQUIREMENT OF
16                           "GOOD MORAL CHARACTER" FROM THE SOCIAL
17                           WORK LICENSING ACT.
18
19
20   BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
21
22           SECTION 1.      Arkansas Code § 17-103-306(b)(1), concerning the
23   qualifications for a licensed master social worker, is amended to read as
24   follows:
25           (b)(1)      The board shall issue a Licensed Master Social Worker license
26   to an applicant who qualifies as follows:
27                           (A)    Has a master's degree in social work from a program
28   accredited by the Council on Social Work Education or the Canadian
29   Association for Social Work Education, or has received before June 17, 1986,
30   a master's degree in a social work program from an accredited educational
31   institution;
32                           (B)    Has passed an examination approved by the board for
33   this purpose and level of practice;
34                           (C)    Has applied for a criminal background check and meets
35   the qualifications for issuance of a license under § 17-103-307;
36                           (D)    Has good moral character;
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 1                       (E)   Is physically and mentally competent to provide social
 2   work services with reasonable skill and safety;
 3                       (F)(E)     Is not afflicted by a mental or physical disease or
 4   condition that would impair the applicant's competency to provide social work
 5   services;
 6                       (G)(F)     Has not pleaded guilty or nolo contendere to or
 7   been found guilty of a felony listed under § 17-3-102 or criminal offense
 8   involving violence, dishonesty, fraud, deceit, breach of client trust, or
 9   abuse of the vulnerable;
10                       (H)(G)     Does not use drugs or alcohol to an extent that the
11   use affects the applicant's professional competency; and
12                       (I)(H)     Has not engaged in fraud or deceit in making the
13   application.
14
15        SECTION 2.     Arkansas Code § 17-103-306(c)(1), concerning the
16   qualifications for a licensed master social worker, is amended to read as
17   follows:
18        (c)(1)      The board shall issue a license as a Licensed Certified Social
19   Worker to an applicant who qualifies as follows:
20                       (A)   Has a master's degree in social work from a program
21   accredited by the Council on Social Work Education or the Canadian
22   Association for Social Work Education, or has received before June 17, 1986,
23   a master's degree in a social work program from an accredited educational
24   institution;
25                       (B)(i)     Has at least twenty-four (24) months of supervised
26   social work experience under a licensed certified social worker.
27                                (ii) The supervised social work experience required
28   under subdivision (c)(1)(B)(i) of this section shall include at least four
29   thousand (4,000) hours in a social work position under the supervision of a
30   licensed certified social worker or a social worker whom the board determines
31   to have qualifications equivalent to those required of a licensed certified
32   social worker;
33                       (C)   Has passed an examination approved by the board for
34   this purpose and level of practice;
35                       (D)   Has applied for a criminal background check and meets
36   the qualifications for issuance of a license under § 17-103-307;
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 1                    (E)   Has good moral character;
 2                    (F)   Is physically and mentally competent to provide social
 3   work services with reasonable skill and safety;
 4                    (G)(F)    Is not affected by a mental or physical disease or
 5   condition that would impair the applicant's competency to provide social work
 6   services;
 7                    (H)(G)    Has not pleaded guilty or nolo contendere to or
 8   been found guilty of a felony listed under § 17-3-102 or criminal offense
 9   involving violence, dishonesty, fraud, deceit, breach of client trust, or
10   abuse of the vulnerable;
11                    (I)(H)    Does not use drugs or alcohol to an extent that the
12   use affects the applicant's professional competency; and
13                    (J)(I)    Has not engaged in fraud or deceit in making the
14   application.
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Statutes affected: 
HB 1136: 17-103-306(b), 17-103-306(c)