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HOUSE BILL NO. 193
IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA
THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE - FIRST SESSION
BY REPRESENTATIVE GILLHAM
Introduced: 4/28/21
Referred: Labor and Commerce, Health and Social Services
A BILL
FOR AN ACT ENTITLED
1 "An Act establishing a license and temporary license for an associate social worker;
2 relating to the exemption of certain persons from licensure as social workers; and
3 relating to the reinstatement of lapsed social worker licenses."
4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:
5 * Section 1. AS 08.95.010(a) is amended to read:
6 (a) There is created the Board of Social Work Examiners composed of five
7 members, as follows: one member licensed under this chapter as an associate
8 social worker; one member licensed under this chapter as a baccalaureate social
9 worker; one member licensed under this chapter as a master social worker; one
10 member [TWO MEMBERS] licensed under this chapter as a clinical social worker
11 [WORKERS]; and one public member who has never been licensed under this
12 chapter. At least one of the licensed members must be a person who is not an
13 employee of a federal, state, or local government.
14 * Sec. 2. AS 08.95.100(b) is amended to read:
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1 (b) A person is guilty of a class B misdemeanor if the person is not licensed
2 (1) under this chapter and the person, unless exempt from licensure
3 under AS 08.95.911,
4 (A) uses the title "social worker" or uses in connection with
5 the person's name the words or letters "S.W.," "Social Worker," or other
6 letters, words, or insignia indicating or implying that the person is a social
7 worker;
8 (B) in any way, orally or in writing, directly or by
9 implication, holds out as a social worker [UNLESS THE PERSON IS
10 EXEMPT FROM LICENSURE UNDER AS 08.95.911];
11 (2) as a clinical social worker under this chapter or has a clinical social
12 worker license that is suspended, revoked, or lapsed, and the person
13 (A) uses in connection with the person's name the words or
14 letters "L.C.S.W.," "Licensed Clinical Social Worker," or other letters, words,
15 or insignia indicating or implying that the person is a licensed clinical social
16 worker; or
17 (B) in any way, orally or in writing, directly or by implication,
18 holds out as a licensed clinical social worker;
19 (3) as a master social worker under this chapter or has a master social
20 worker license that is suspended, revoked, or lapsed, and the person
21 (A) uses in connection with the person's name the words or
22 letters "L.M.S.W.," "Licensed Master Social Worker," or other letters, words,
23 or insignia indicating or implying that the person is a licensed master social
24 worker; or
25 (B) in any way, orally or in writing, directly or by implication,
26 holds out as being a licensed master social worker; [OR]
27 (4) as a baccalaureate social worker under this chapter or has a
28 baccalaureate social worker license that is suspended, revoked, or lapsed, and the
29 person
30 (A) uses in connection with the person's name the words or
31 letters "L.B.S.W.," "Licensed Baccalaureate Social Worker," or other letters,
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1 words, or insignia indicating or implying that the person is a licensed
2 baccalaureate social worker; or
3 (B) in any way, orally or in writing, directly or by implication,
4 holds out as being a licensed baccalaureate social worker; or
5 (5) as an associate social worker under this chapter or has an
6 associate social worker license that is suspended, revoked, or lapsed, and the
7 person
8 (A) uses in connection with the person's name the words or
9 letters "L.A.S.W.," "Licensed Associate Social Worker," or other letters,
10 words, or insignia indicating or implying that the person is a licensed
11 associate social worker; or
12 (B) in any way, orally or in writing, directly or by
13 implication, holds out as being a licensed associate social worker.
14 * Sec. 3. AS 08.95.110 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:
15 (d) The board shall issue a license authorizing use of the title "associate social
16 worker" to a person who
17 (1) satisfies the requirements of (a)(3) - (5) and (7) of this section;
18 (2) has
19 (A) received an associate degree in social work from a college
20 or university approved by the board; or
21 (B) received a professional certificate of human services or
22 social work from a college or university approved by the board and has
23 provided evidence of a combination of related paraprofessional experience
24 working in a role supporting the delivery of social or human services; and
25 (3) has satisfactorily completed the examination given by the board for
26 associate social worker licensing.
27 * Sec. 4. AS 08.95.125(a) is amended to read:
28 (a) On receipt of a completed application for a social worker license, a request
29 for a temporary license, and payment of the application fee and temporary license fee
30 determined under AS 08.01.065(c), the board, a member of the board, or an employee
31 of the department designated by the board may issue a temporary license
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1 (1) to use the title "master social worker" to an individual who
2 (A) satisfies the requirements of AS 08.95.110(a)(1) and (3); or
3 (B) satisfies the requirements of AS 08.95.120(a)(2) and (4)
4 and provides a photocopy, together with a sworn statement as to the copy's
5 veracity, of the applicant's current license as a master social worker in another
6 jurisdiction;
7 (2) to use the title "baccalaureate social worker" to an individual who
8 (A) satisfies the requirements of AS 08.95.110(a)(3) and (c)(2);
9 or
10 (B) satisfies the requirements of AS 08.95.120(a)(2) and (4)
11 and provides a photocopy, together with a sworn statement as to the copy's
12 veracity, of the applicant's current license as a baccalaureate social worker in
13 another jurisdiction;
14 (3) to use the title "associate social worker" to an individual who
15 (A) satisfies the requirements of AS 08.95.110(a)(3) and
16 (d)(2); or
17 (B) satisfies the requirements of AS 08.95.120(a)(2) and (4)
18 and provides a photocopy, together with a sworn statement as to the
19 copy's veracity, of the applicant's current license as an associate social
20 worker in another jurisdiction.
21 * Sec. 5. AS 08.95.125(b) is amended to read:
22 (b) A temporary license provided to an applicant under (a)(1)(A), (2)(A), or
23 (3)(A) [(a)(1)(A) OR (a)(2)(A)] of this section is valid for one year and is valid
24 notwithstanding the applicant's failure to satisfactorily complete the examination
25 required under AS 08.95.110(a)(6) during the period that the license is valid.
26 * Sec. 6. AS 08.95.125(c) is amended to read:
27 (c) A temporary license issued under (a)(1)(B), (2)(B), or (3)(B) [(a)(1)(B)
28 OR (a)(2)(B)] of this section is valid for one year.
29 * Sec. 7. AS 08.95.911 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:
30 (d) The exemption under (a) of this section does not apply to a person who
31 obtains a social worker license under this chapter or a person who obtained a social
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1 worker license under this chapter that has lapsed or has been suspended or revoked.
2 * Sec. 8. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to
3 read:
4 TRANSITION: LAPSED LICENSE. (a) Notwithstanding AS 08.95.911(d), enacted
5 by sec. 7 of this Act, a person who wishes to continue to use the title "social worker," who
6 qualifies for the exemption under AS 08.95.911 as it read on the day before the effective date
7 of sec. 7 of this Act and who has a social worker license that was issued under AS 08.95 that
8 has lapsed, may
9 (1) apply to the Board of Social Work Examiners to reinstate the lapsed
10 license; an application submitted under this paragraph must be received within one year after
11 the effective date of this section;
12 (2) continue to use the title "social worker" under the exemption in
13 AS 08.95.911 as it read on the day before the effective date of sec. 7 of this Act until the later
14 of the date the Board of Social Work Examiners issues a decision on the person's
15 reinstatement application submitted under (1) of this subsection or one year after the effective
16 date of this section.
17 (b) The Board of Social Work Examiners shall reinstate
18 (1) a permanent master social worker license for an applicant under (a)(1) of
19 this section who meets the requirements for a temporary license to practice social work under
20 AS 08.95.125(a)(1);
21 (2) a permanent baccalaureate social worker license for an applicant under
22 (a)(1) of this section who meets the requirements for a temporary license to practice social
23 work under AS 08.95.125(a)(2).
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Statutes affected: HB0193A, AM HB 193, introduced 04/28/2021: 08.95.010, 08.95.100, 08.95.911, L.C.S, L.M.S, L.B.S, L.A.S, 08.95.110, 08.95.125, 08.01.065, 08.95.120