House Bill 27 (HB 27) establishes the Social Work Licensure Interstate Compact, designed to facilitate the practice of regulated social workers across state lines while improving public access to social work services. The bill outlines the compact's objectives, such as increasing access to services, reducing redundant licensing requirements, and supporting military families. It preserves the regulatory authority of member states while allowing for mutual recognition of licenses, enabling social workers to practice in multiple states without obtaining separate licenses. The bill also details the requirements for state participation, including the need for states to license social work at various levels and ensure that applicants graduate from accredited programs.

Additionally, HB 27 introduces several amendments to Florida Statutes, incorporating provisions for clinical social workers under the compact. Key insertions include the requirement for the Department of Health to provide investigative information related to clinical social workers and the establishment of monitoring terms for impaired practitioners. The bill updates disciplinary actions applicable to clinical social workers and clarifies that individuals associated with the compact are considered agents of the state for liability purposes. The act will take effect once the compact is enacted into law by seven states, aligning Florida's regulations with interstate practices for social work licensure.

Statutes affected:
H 27 Filed: 456.076, 491.005, 491.009