An Act to Improve l O the Licensing Procedure for Ce1tain Social Workers by Removing the Examination Requirement
Maine Legislature, Session 131, LD 1990
Committee Amendment CA_A_H822 (House)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" (\" to H.P. 1273, L.D. 1990, "An Act to Improve 
l O 
the Licensing Procedure for Ce1tain Social Workers by Removing the Examination 
Requirement" 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'Resolve, to Establish the Commission to Evaluate the Requirements for Licensing of 
Social Workers' 
Amend the bill by sh·iking out everything after the title and inse1ting the following: 
'Sec. 1. Commission to Evaluate the Requirements for Licensing of Social 
Workers established. Resolved: That the Commission to Evaluate the Requirements 
for Licensing of Social Workers, referred to in this resolve as "the commission," is 
established to conduct a holistic evaluation of the process of social work licensure for 
licensed master social workers, licensed clinical social workers and licensed social 
workers, including an evaluation of any disparities based on race, age or disability in the 
licensure process. The evaluation conducted by the commission must include the purposes 
and goals of the licensure process; the steps taken by individuals in order to obtain and 
retain their licensure, such as examination and supervision requirements; the efficacy of 
these steps in meeting the purposes and goals of the licensure process and in creating and 
retaining a social work workforce that meets the needs of the State; any systemic obstacles 
associated with building and maintaining a diverse social work workforce; and all costs 
associated with the licensure process. During the evaluation, the commission shall consider 
the perspective of the individual seeking to obtain and retain licensure and the impact the 
process of licensure has on multiple systems. 
Sec. 2. Commission membership. Resolved: That, notwithstanding Joint Rule 
353, the commission consists of 17 members as follows: 
I. Two members of the Senate, appointed by the President of the Senate, including one 
member from each of the 2 parties holding the largest number of seats in the Legislature; 
Page I - 131LR2409(02) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
ROS 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" I\" to H.P. 1273, L.D. 1990 
2. Three members of the House of Representatives, appointed by the Speaker of the 
House of Representatives, including one member from each of the 2 pa1ties holding the 
largest number of seats in the Legislature; 
3. One member with experience as a licensed clinical social worker, appointed by the 
President of the Senate; 
4. One member currently enrolled in a social work degree program in the State, 
appointed by the President of the Senate; 
5. One member representing a nonprofit community mental health provider, appointed 
by the President of the Senate; 
6, One member representing the interests of a national nonprofit organization 
composed of social work regulatmy boards and colleges, appointed by the President of the 
Senate; 
7. One member holding a faculty or administrative appointment with a master of social 
work degree program in the State, appointed by the President of the Senate; 
8. One member representing a statewide association of social workers, appointed by 
the Speaker of the House of Representatives; 
9. One member who has graduated from a social work degree program in the State 
within the past 5 years, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; 
10. One member with experience as a licensed master social worker or licensed social 
worker, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; 
11. One member employed by a state agency or office with supervisory capacity over 
a licensed master social worker or licensed social worker, appointed by the Speaker of the 
House of Representatives; 
12, One member holding a faculty or administrative appointment with a bachelor of 
social work degree program in the State, appointed by the Speaker of the House of 
Representatives; 
13. One member who is a representative of the State Board of Social Worker Li censure 
appointed by the State Board of Social Worker Licensure; and 
14. The Commissioner of Professional and Financial Regulation or the commissioner's 
designee. 
When making the appointments required under this section, the appointing authorities 
shall consider racial, ethnic, gender, socioeconomic and geographic diversity. 
Sec, 3. Chairs, Resolved: That the first-named Senate member is the Senate chair 
and the first-named House of Representatives member is the House chair of the 
commission. 
Sec, 4. Appointments; convening of commission, Resolved: That all 
appointments must be made no later than 30 days following the effective date of this 
resolve. The appointing authorities shall notify the Executive Director of the Legislative 
Council once all appointments have been completed. After appointment of all members, 
the chairs shall call and convene the first meeting of the commission. If 30 days or more 
after the effective date of this resolve a majority of but not all appointments have been 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
ROS 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A-" to H,P, 1273, L.D. 1990 
made, the chairs may request authority and the Legislative Council may grant authority for 
the commission to meet and conduct its business. 
Sec, 5. Duties. Resolved: That, in conducting the holistic evaluation of the social 
work licensure system required by this resolve, the commission shall review and evaluate: 
I. The purposes and goals of licensure in the State, including: 
A. The historic development of the concept and practice of licensure in the State; and 
B. The systems and institutions that have historically defined the purposes and goals 
and the concept of licensure and have administered and mediated the design and 
execution of the licensure process; 
2, The steps taken by individuals in order to obtain and retain licensure, including but 
not limited to: 
A. All legal requirements of the process of licensure prior to and upon the effective 
date of this resolve, including but not limited to educational requirements, examination 
requirements, supervision requirements and other requirements set forth in law or rule; 
and 
B. Any steps that, while not technically required, are taken by those pursuing a license 
prior to and during the process of licensure with the intent of aiding the potential 
licensees with the licensure process; 
3. The efficacy of the steps under subsection 2 in meeting the purposes and goals of 
the licensure process under subsection I, and any barriers to these steps, including but not 
limited to cost; 
4. The efficacy of the steps under subsection 2 in creating a social work workforce that 
meets the needs of the State, including but not limited to the need for: 
A. Workforce equity, including reviewing and evaluating the quantity, type and 
distribution of social workers patticularly with respect to equity factors such as race, 
ethnicity, socioeconomic status, gender, sexuality 01· sexual orientation, disability, 
primary language and geographic location; and 
B. Social work services, pa1ticulal'ly with respect to the equity factors in paragraph A, 
and the systems that currently provide those services; and 
5. Alternative pathways to Ii censure that may be required following the removal of any 
patticular step of the current licensure process, including but not limited to examination 
requirements. 
The commission. shall also review and identify best practices for licensure of social 
workers adopted in other states and the District of Columbia, including statutory or 
regulatoty requirements or other policies or processes for licensnre, and shall develop 
recommendations for suggested legislation or other changes to the process for licensure of 
social workers in the State. 
Sec, 6. Staff assistance. Resolved: That the Legislative Council shall provide 
necessary staffing services to the commission, except that Legislative Council staff suppott 
is not authorized when the Legislature is in regular or special session. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
~os 
l5 
l7 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT"~" to H.P. 1273, L.Q. 1990 
Sec. 7. Report, Resolved: That the commission shall submit a repo1t that includes 
its findings and recoinmendations, including suggested legislation, to the Joint Standing 
Committee on Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services no later than November 
6, 2024. The joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over health 
coverage, insUl'ance and financial services matters, including professional licensing, inay 
repmt out legislation related to the repmt to the 132nd Legislature in 2025. 
Sec, 8. Outside funding. Resolved: That the commission shall seek funding 
_contributions to fully fund the costs of the study. All funding is subject to approval by the 
Legislative Council in accordance with its policies. If sufficient contributions to fund the 
study have not been received within 30 days after the effective date of this resolve, no 
meetings are authorized and no expenses of any kind may be incurred or reimbursed. 
Sec, 9. 
Appropriations and allocations. Resolved: That the following 
appropriations and allocations are made. 
LEGISLATURE 
Study Commissions - Funding 0444 
Initiative: Allocates funds for the one-time costs of Legislators serving on the Commission 
to Evaluate the Requirements for Licensing of Social Workers with contributions from 
outside sources fully funding these costs. 
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS 
Personal Services 
All Other 
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS TOTAL 
2023-24 
$0 
$0 
$0 
2024-25 
$1,100 
$2,650 
$3,750 
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Patt letter or section 
number to read consecutively. 
SUMMARY 
This ainendment is the majority rep01t of the committee and replaces the bill with a 
resolve. The amendment establishes the Commission to Evaluate the Requirements for 
Licensing of Social Workers. The commission is directed to conduct a holistic evaluation 
of the process of social work Ji censure for licensed master social workers, licensed clinical 
social workers and licensed social workers, including an evaluation of any disparities based 
on race, age or disability in the licensure process. The commission is required to submit its 
repmt to the Joint Standing Committee on Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial 
Services no later than November 6, 2024. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 03/01/24 ;!:Pae 
LD 1990 
LR 2409(02) 
An Act to Improve the Licensing Procedure for Certain Social Workers by Removing the Examination 
Requirement 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment"~ 0➔ -,'2.-1.) • 
Committee: Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services • 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Legislative Cost/Study 
FY 2023-24 
FY 2024-25 
Projections 
FY 2025-26 
Projections 
FY 2026-27 
·~ppropriations/Allocatlons 
Other Special Revenue Funds 
Legislative Cost/Study 
$0 
$3,750 
$0 
$0 
The bill provides an allocation of$3,750 in 2024-25 for the one-time costs of Legislators serving on the Commission 
to Evaluate the Requireinents for Licensing of Social Workers with contributions from outside sources fully funding 
these costs. The additional costs of providing staffing assistance to the commission during the interim can be absorbed 
utilizing existing budgeted staff resources 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Additional costs to the Department of Professional· and Financial Regulation associated with serving on the 
commission can be absorbed within existing budgeted resources. 
• 
LR2409(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of I