The bill amends South Dakota's existing law regarding the issuance of social work licenses by adding a requirement for criminal background checks for applicants seeking a multistate license under the social work licensure compact. Specifically, it modifies section 36-26-13 to include the issuance of multistate licenses and introduces a new section that mandates applicants to submit a full set of fingerprints to the board. These fingerprints will be sent to the Division of Criminal Investigation for both state and federal background checks, which must be completed before a multistate license can be issued.

Additionally, the bill stipulates that applicants must sign a release of information and pay any associated fees for the fingerprinting and background check process. The board is prohibited from issuing a multistate license until it has received and reviewed the applicant's criminal history record information. Furthermore, the bill ensures that any information obtained through this process is kept confidential and cannot be shared with individuals not employed by the board.

Statutes affected:
Introduced, 01/01/2026: 36-26-13
Enrolled, 02/05/2026: 36-26-13