House Bill No. 5197, Public Act No. 24-30, is an act that introduces the Social Work Licensure Compact into Connecticut law, aimed at facilitating interstate practice for regulated social workers while maintaining state regulatory authority to protect public health and safety. The compact is designed to increase access to social work services, reduce the burden of multiple licenses, enhance state cooperation, promote mobility, support military families, facilitate information exchange, and ensure accountability to the laws of the state where the client is located. The bill defines key terms, outlines conditions for state participation, establishes a data system for licensee information, and specifies domicile and home state for licensees. It sets forth requirements for maintaining compact membership, eligibility criteria for multistate licensure, and the process for issuing and renewing a multistate license, with no marked insertions or deletions from current law.

The bill also establishes the Social Work Licensure Compact Commission, a joint government agency responsible for administering the compact, with each member state having one delegate. The commission has various powers, including rulemaking, financial management, and legal proceedings, and is required to meet at least annually. The bill provides for closed meetings under certain circumstances, financial responsibilities, legal immunities, and a coordinated data system for managing licensee information. It details the rulemaking process, oversight, dispute resolution, enforcement, and procedures for managing states in default of their obligations. The bill emphasizes that the compact should be liberally construed, its provisions are severable, and it supersedes conflicting state laws. Additionally, it introduces a requirement for fingerprint-based criminal history checks for licensure applicants and defines relevant terms related to social work practice. The bill was approved on May 21, 2024.