Bill > S0220

Introduced Session

An act relating to the Social Work Licensure Compact; creating s. 491.022, F.S.; creating the Social Work Licensure Compact; providing a purpose and objectives of the compact; defining terms; specifying requirements for state participation in the compact; specifying requirements for member states to maintain membership in the compact; requiring member states to designate the categories of social work licensure which are eligible for issuance of a multistate license in such states; specifying criteria licensed social workers must meet to be issued a multistate license under the compact; providing additional requirements based on the licensure category of such social workers; providing for the renewal of multistate licenses; specifying that a licensed social worker’s services provided in a remote state are subject to that remote member state’s regulatory authority; authorizing remote states to act on a licensee’s multistate authorization to practice; specifying the consequences and parameters of practice for a licensee whose multistate license or multistate authorization to practice is encumbered; specifying procedures for issuing multistate licenses; providing for the recognition of multistate licenses in all member states; providing construction; specifying that a licensed social worker may hold a home state license in only one member state at a time; specifying requirements and procedures for reissuing a multistate license by a new home state; providing construction; authorizing active duty military personnel or their spouses to keep their home state designation during active duty; authorizing member states to take adverse action against a licensee’s multistate authorization to practice and to issue subpoenas for hearings and investigations under certain circumstances; providing requirements and procedures for such adverse actions and subpoenas; authorizing member states to recover costs of investigations and depositions from the affected licensed social workers in adverse actions; authorizing member states to engage in joint investigations under certain circumstances; providing that a licensee’s multistate authorization to practice must be deactivated in all member states for the duration of an encumbrance imposed by the licensee’s home state; providing for notice to the data system and the licensee’s home state of any adverse action taken against a licensee; providing construction; establishing the Social Work Licensure Compact Commission; providing for membership, meetings, and powers of the commission; providing for powers, duties, membership, and meetings of the commission’s executive committee; requiring the commission to adopt annual reports and provide them to member states; providing public notice and records requirements for meetings of the commission; authorizing the commission to hold closed, nonpublic meetings under certain circumstances; providing for the financing of the commission; providing commission members, officers, executive directors, employees, and representatives immunity from civil liability under certain circumstances; providing construction; requiring the commission to defend the commission’s members, officers, executive directors, employees, and representatives in civil actions under certain circumstances; providing construction; requiring the commission to indemnify and hold harmless such individuals for any settlement or judgment obtained in such actions under certain circumstances; providing construction; providing for the development of the data system, reporting procedures, and the exchange of specified information between member states; requiring member states to report any adverse action taken against a licensee and monitor the data system for adverse action taken against a licensee in other member states; authorizing member states to designate as confidential information provided to the data system; requiring the commission to remove information from the data system under certain circumstances; providing rulemaking procedures for the commission, including public notice and meeting requirements; providing for member state enforcement of the compact; providing for the jurisdiction and venue for court proceedings brought against the commission; specifying that the commission is entitled to receive service of process, and has standing to intervene, in certain judicial and administrative proceedings; rendering certain judgments and orders void as to the commission, the compact, or commission rules under certain circumstances; providing for defaults, technical assistance, and termination of compact membership; providing procedures for the resolution of certain disputes; providing for commission enforcement of the compact; providing for remedies; providing that only a member state may seek enforcement of the compact against the commission; providing for implementation of, withdrawal from, and amendment to the compact; providing construction and severability; specifying that licensees providing services in a remote state under the compact must adhere to the laws and rules of the remote state; providing construction; amending s. 456.073, F.S.; requiring the Department of Health to report certain investigative information to the data system of the Social Work Licensure Compact; amending s. 456.076, F.S.; requiring that monitoring contracts for impaired practitioners participating in treatment programs contain certain terms; amending s. 491.004, F.S.; requiring the Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling to appoint an individual to serve as the state’s delegate on the Social Work Licensure Compact Commission; amending ss. 491.005 and 491.006, F.S.; exempting social workers practicing under the compact from certain licensure requirements; amending s. 491.009, F.S.; authorizing certain disciplinary action under the compact for specified prohibited acts; amending s. 768.28, F.S.; designating the state delegate and other members or employees of the commission as state agents for the purpose of applying waivers of sovereign immunity; requiring the commission to pay certain claims or judgments; authorizing the commission to maintain insurance coverage to pay such claims or judgments; providing an effective date.

AI Summary

Gayle Harrell (R)*,  Carlos Smith (D), 

Died in Health Policy (on 06/16/2025)

Official Document