HB318 Alabama 2024 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Kenyatte HassellRepresentative

Democrat

Session

Regular Session 2024

Title

Interstate Compact -Social Work Examiners

Summary

HB318 would let Alabama join the Social Work Licensure Compact to allow social workers to practice across member states with a single multistate license.

What This Bill Does

HB318 would enable Alabama to adopt Article 4 of the Social Work Licensure Compact, creating a multistate licensing framework. It sets up a home-state license, a shared data system, and mutual recognition of licenses so social workers can practice in other member states (including via telehealth). It also outlines how adverse actions and disciplinary information are shared and enforced, and defines roles for the compact commission and state licensing authorities. It includes provisions for military families and ongoing competence requirements, and sets an effective date for implementation.

Who It Affects

• Licensed social workers in Alabama—who would obtain a multistate license through their home state and practice in other member states, and must meet home-state licensing and continuing education requirements.
• Alabama’s Board of Social Work Examiners and other member states’ licensing authorities—who would share licensing data, coordinate enforcement, and operate under the Compact rules.
• Active duty military members and spouses—who can designate a home state for their multistate license and may retain it during active service.

Key Provisions

• Adopts Article 4 of Chapter 30, Title 34 to create the Social Work Licensure Compact and allow interstate licensing and practice.
• Issuance of multistate licenses based on home-state license, satisfactory exams, degrees, supervised practice, and background checks; categories include bachelor’s, master’s, and clinical-level licensing.
• Multistate license enables practice in all member states; adverse actions by home state apply to multistate licenses; remote states may take state-limited actions; encumbrances deactivate across all remote states.
• Data system with unique identifiers; sharing of adverse actions and significant investigative information; fingerprint background checks; continuing competence requirements; and ability to exchange disciplinary data among member states.
• Establishment of a Social Work Licensure Compact Commission and an executive committee to govern rules, budgets, compliance, dispute resolution, and enforcement; rules have force of law in member states.
• Military families protections; telehealth provisions; and mechanisms for moving home states or withdrawing from the Compact; effective date October 1, 2024.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Occupational Licensing Boards