An Act to Change Certain Educational Requirements and Make Title Changes for Licensed Social Workers LR 1944(02)
Maine Legislature, Session 121, LD 1589
Committee Amendment CA_A_H454 (House)
Amends: 32 MRSA §7001-A, 32 MRSA §7053, 32 MRSA §7060

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" if .. to H.P. 1162, L.D. 
Act To Change Certain Educational Requirements 
Changes for Licensed Social Workers" 
1589, Bill, "An 
and Make Ti tIe 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting 
clause and before the summary and inserting in its place the 
following: 
'Sec. 1. 32 MRSA §7001-A, sub-§8, as amended by PL 2001, c. 
316, §l, is further amended to read: 
8. 
Licensed social worker. 
A "licensed social worker" is a 
person who has received a license as a licensed social worker 
from the ,board. 
In accordance with the provisions of section 
7053, subsection 
~-A 3-B, "licensed social worker" includes a 
person who 
has 
received a 
conditional license as 
a 
licensed 
social worker. 
Sec. 2. 32 MRSA §7053, sub-§3, as amended by PL 2001, c . 542 , 
§1, is further amended to read: 
3. 
Requirements to be a 
licensed social worker. 
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app±ieas~-w£e-~~~~-~ea6~-~~~-~he-£e~~i£emeB~6-~-~~-is 
~aiS-6Q96ee~i9R To be gualified to be licensed as a social worker 
an applicant must meet one of the following reguirements: 
A. 
The applicant must have received a bachelor's degree in 
social work or social welfare from an accredited educational 
institution; demonstrated to the satisfaction of the board 
adherence to the ethics of the social worker profession; and 
successfully completed the examination prescribed by the 
board; or 
Page I-LRI944(2) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT .. If, to H.P. 1162, L.D. 1589 
B. 
The applicant must have received a 
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~Fe~essieB conditional license as a licensed social worker 
in 
accordance 
with 
subsection 
3-B; 
completed 
the 
reguirements 
for 
consultation 
and 
contact 
hours 
in 
accordance with subsection 3-C, paragraph B and subsection 
3-D; and successfully completed the examination prescribed 
by the board. 
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Sec. 3. 32 MRSA §7053, sub-§3-A, as amended by PL 2001, c. 
542, §2, is repealed. 
Sec. 4. 32 MRSA §7053, sub-§§3-B to 3-D are enacted to read: 
3-B. 
Conditional license as a licensed social lfOrker. 
The 
board may issue a conditional license as a licensed social worker 
to an applicant who provides to the board; 
A. 
Documented proof of a bachelor's degree in a field that 
is sufficiently related to social work or social welfare, as 
determined by the board; and 
B. 
Any documentation as reguired by the board, which may 
include, but is not limited to: 
(1) 
Evidence 
of 
employment 
in 
a 
social 
service 
delivery field; 
(2) 
Evidence of an arrangement of consultation to be 
provided in accordance with subsection 3-C, paragraph 
Bi and 
(3) 
Letters of professional recommendation. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ,,~, to H.P. 1162, L.D. 1589 
3-C. 
Consultation requirements for licensed social workers 
and conditionally licensed social workers. 
A licensed social 
worker or conditionally licensed social worker must complete the 
following reguirements for consultation. 
A. 
A licensed social worker must complete a minimum of 96 
hours of consultation as determined by the board. 
This 
consultation must be concurrent with the first 3,200 hours 
of social work employment occurring in a period of not less 
than 2 years but not more than 4 years. 
B. 
A person 
who 
receives 
a 
conditional 
license 
as 
a 
licensed social worker on or after January 1, 
2004 must 
complete the following reguirements for consultation. 
(1) 
A person who is not an employee of the Department 
of Human Services must complete a minimum of 96 hours 
of 
consultation as 
determined by 
the 
board. 
This 
consultation must be concurrent with the first 3,200 
hours of social work employment occurring in a period 
of not less than 2 years but not more than 4 years. 
(2) 
A person who is an employee of the Department of 
Human Services must complete a minimum of 96 hours of 
consultation with a licensed social worker who has been 
licensed for at least 4 years or a licensed master 
social worker. 
This consultation must be concurrent 
with the first 3,200 hours of social work employment 
occurring in a period of not less than 2 years but not 
more than 4 years. 
3-D. 
Contact 
hours 
for 
conditionally 
licensed 
social 
workers. 
A person who 
receives 
a 
conditional license as 
a 
licensed social worker on or after January 1, 2004 must complete, 
within the first 2 years of licensure, contact hours, as that 
term is defined by the board, in an amount set by the board. 
Of 
these contact hours reguired by the board, 6 hours must be on the 
subject of social work ethics and 6 hours must be on the subject 
of psychosocial assessment. 
Sec. 5. 32 MRSA §7060, as amended by PL 2001, c. 316, §5, is 
repealed and the following enacted in its place: 
§7060. 
E~iration and renewals 
Licenses expire biennially on December 31st or at such other 
times 
as 
the 
Commissioner 
of 
Professional 
and 
Financial 
Regulation may designate. 
Biennial fees for renewal of licenses 
must be set by the board in an amount not to exceed those amounts 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT .. /)<. to H.P. 1162, L.D. 1589 
specified in section 7056 and are due and payable biennially on 
or before the first day of January. 
License renewal fees for 
certified social workers are the same as those for licensed 
master social workers. 
Each renewal is contingent upon evidence 
of participation in a continuing professional education course or 
program as approved by the board. 
A license may be renewed up to 
days after the date of expiration upon payment of a late fee 
of $10 in addition to the renewal fee. 
Any person who submits an 
application for renewal more than 90 dgys after the renewal date 
is subject to all requirements governing new applicants under 
this chapter, except that the board may in its discretion, giving 
due 
consideration 
to 
the 
protection 
of 
the 
public, 
waive 
examination if, the renewal application is made within 2 years 
from the date of the expiration. 
The board shall adopt rules that provide that a 
person 
licensed under this chapter may, upon written request, be placed 
in an inactive status. 
Reasons for granting inactive status 
include, but are not limited to. changes in occupation, residence 
and health. 
The payment of fees must be suspended during the 
term of inactive status. 
The board shall also adopt rules by 
which a person in an inactive status may be reinstated. 
A person 
may be reinstated to active status by paying the fees for the 
year of reinstatement. 
The board shall notify every person licensed under this 
chapter of the date of expiration of that person's license and 
the fee required for its renewal for a 2-year period. The notice 
must be mailed to the person's last known address at least 30 
days in advance of the expiration date of the license. 
In addition to the other requirements of this section. a 
licensed social worker must: 
~. 
Bot empl.oyee of DepartmeDt of Human Services. 
If not 
employed 
by 
the 
Department 
of 
Human 
Services, 
provide 
documentation of 96 hours of consultation as determined by the 
board during the first 3.200 hours of social work employment in a 
period of not less than 2 years but not more than 4 years; or 
2. 
Emplo.yee of DeRartmeDt of Human Services. 
If employed 
by the Department of Human Services, provide documentation of 
either: 
A. 
A minimum of 96 hours of consultation with a licensed 
sgcial worker whg has been licensed fgr at least 4 years or 
a licensed master social worker. 
This consultation must be 
cgncurrent 
with 
the first 
3,200 
hours 
gf 
social 
wgrk 
emplgyment gccurring in a perigd gf ngt less than 2 years 
but not mgre than 4 years; or 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "R' to H.P. 1162, L.D. 1589 
B. 
A m~n~mum of 96 hours of consultation concurrent with 
the person's first 3,200 hours of social work employment 
occurring in a period of not less than 2 years but not more 
than 4 years with a licensed social worker who has been 
licensed for at least 2 years, has been designated by the 
department 
as 
a 
supervisor trainee 
and is concurrently 
receiving 48 hours of consultation with a licensed master 
social worker. 
Sec. 6. 
Retroactivity. 
This 
Act 
applies 
retroactively 
to 
September 21, 2001.' 
SUMMARY 
This 
amendment 
allows 
for 
the 
continued 
issuance 
of 
conditional social work licenses after September 30, 
2003 to 
applicants 
who 
have bachelor's degrees in fields other than 
social 
work, 
as 
did 
the bill. 
The 
amendment 
also 
limits 
conditional social work licensure in several additional ways. 
1. 
Only applicants with bachelor's degrees in "related 
fields," a term to be defined by the State Board of Social Worker 
Licensure, are eligible for conditional licensure. 
2. 
Beginning January 1, 
2004, all conditional licensees 
must complete consultation requirements. 
A conditional licensee 
who is employed by the Department of Human Services must complete 
no less than 96 hours of consultation, over the first 3,200 hours 
of social work employment and within 2 to 4 years with a licensed 
social worker who has been licensed for at least 4 years or a 
licensed master social worker. 
A conditional licensee who is not 
employed by the Department of Human Services must complete no 
less than 96 hours of consultation, as determined by the board, 
over the first 3,200 hours of social work employment and within 2 
to 4 years. 
3. 
Beginning on January 1, 2004, all conditional licensees 
must complete contact hours, 
as defined by the board, in an 
amount set by the board, within the first 2 years of licensure, 
of which 6 hours must be on the subject of social work ethics and 
hours must be on the Subject of psychosocial assessment. 
4. 
The amendment also specifies that, once a person is 
licensed as a social worker, the person must, if not employed by 
the Department of Human Services, provide documentation of 96 
hours of consultation as determined by the board during the first 
3,200 hours of social work employment in a period not less than 2 
years but not more than 4 years. 
If the person is employed by 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ·4 to H.P. 1162, L.D. 1589 
the 
Department 
of 
Human 
Services, 
the 
person 
must 
provide 
documentation of either: 
A. 
A minimum of 96 hours of consultation with a licensed 
social worker who has been licensed for at least 4 years or 
a licensed master social worker, concurrent with the first 
3,200 hours of social work employment occurring in a period 
of not less than 2 years but not more than 4 years; or 
B. 
A minimum of 96 hours of consultation concurrent with 
the person's first 3,200 hours of social work employment 
occurring in a period of not less than 2 years but not more 
than 4 years with a licensed social worker who has been 
licensed for at least 2 years, has been designated by the 
department 
as 
a 
supervisor trainee 
and is concurrently 
receiving 48 hours of consultation with a licensed master 
social worker. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Approved: 05/16/03 ~ac:.. 
Office of Fiscal and Program Review 
LD 1589 
An Act to Change Certain Educational Requirements and Make Title 
Changes for Licensed Social Workers 
LR 1944(02) 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment" " 
Committee: Business, Research and Economic Development 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Minor cost increase - Other Special Revenue Funds 
Any additional cost to the State Board of Social Worker Licensure within the Department of Professional and 
Financial Regulation can be absorbed utilizing existing budgeted resources. 
LR1944(2) - Fiscal Note - PaQe 1 of 1