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WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 226
Chapter 226
(Senate Bill 18)
AN ACT concerning
State Board of Social Work Examiners – Conditional Provisional License to
Practice Social Work – Revisions Established
FOR the purpose of altering the circumstances under which the Board of Social Work
Examiners may issue a conditional license to practice social work; establishing
alternate pathways a provisional social work license through which an individual
issued a conditional provisional license may receive a full license; and generally
relating to licenses to practice social work.
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments,
Article – Health Occupations
Section 19–101(a), (c–1), and (e) and (c–1)
Annotated Code of Maryland
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement)
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
Article – Health Occupations
Section 19–309.1 19–101(e)
Annotated Code of Maryland
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement)
BY adding to
Article – Health Occupations
Section 19–101(o–1) and 19–309.2
Annotated Code of Maryland
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement)
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND,
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:
Article – Health Occupations
19–101.
(a) In this title the following words have the meanings indicated.
(c–1) “Conditional license” means a license issued by the Board under, and as
limited by, § 19–309.1 of this title to practice:
(1) Bachelor social work; or
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Ch. 226 2026 LAWS OF MARYLAND
(2) Master social work.
(e) “License” means, unless the context requires otherwise:
(1) One of four categories of licenses issued by the Board authorizing an
individual to practice:
(i) Bachelor social work;
(ii) Master social work;
(iii) Certified social work; or
(iv) Certified social work–clinical; or
(2) A conditional license issued by the Board; OR
(3) A PROVISIONAL LICENSE ISSUED BY THE BOARD.
(O–1) “PROVISIONAL LICENSE” MEANS A LICENSE ISSUED BY THE BOARD
UNDER, AND AS LIMITED BY, § 19–309.2 OF THIS TITLE TO PRACTICE:
(1) BACHELOR SOCIAL WORK; OR
(2) MASTER SOCIAL WORK.
19–309.2.
(A) BEGINNING NOVEMBER 1, 2026, THE BOARD SHALL ISSUE A
PROVISIONAL LICENSE TO AN APPLICANT WHO, EXCEPT FOR PASSING THE
EXAMINATION OTHERWISE REQUIRED UNDER THIS SUBTITLE, HAS MET THE
APPROPRIATE EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS SUBTITLE
FOR A LICENSE ISSUED UNDER § 19–302 OF THIS SUBTITLE TO PRACTICE:
(1) BACHELOR SOCIAL WORK; OR
(2) MASTER SOCIAL WORK.
(B) A PROVISIONAL LICENSE:
(1) AUTHORIZES THE HOLDER TO PRACTICE SOCIAL WORK IN THE
STATE ONLY WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THE SPECIFIC CATEGORY OF LICENSE ISSUED
BY THE BOARD;
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WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 226
(2) REQUIRES THE HOLDER TO PRACTICE UNDER THE SUPERVISION
OF A BOARD–APPROVED SUPERVISOR IN ACCORDANCE WITH REGULATIONS
ADOPTED UNDER THIS SECTION;
(3) MAY BE ISSUED ONLY TO AN INITIAL APPLICANT FOR LICENSURE
WHO HAS NOT PREVIOUSLY BEEN LICENSED UNDER THIS TITLE; AND
(4) DOES NOT QUALIFY THE HOLDER FOR A MULTISTATE LICENSE
UNDER THE SOCIAL WORK LICENSURE COMPACT ESTABLISHED UNDER § 19–3A–01
OF THIS TITLE.
(C) A PROVISIONAL LICENSE:
(1) EXPIRES ON A DATE SET BY THE BOARD THAT IS AT LEAST 12
MONTHS, BUT NOT MORE THAN 24 MONTHS, AFTER THE DATE OF ISSUANCE;
(2) MAY NOT BE RENEWED; AND
(3) SHALL TERMINATE AUTOMATICALLY ON:
(I) THE EXPIRATION DATE; OR
(II) IF THE HOLDER APPLIES AND QUALIFIES FOR A LICENSE
UNDER SUBSECTION (E) OF THIS SECTION, THE DATE THAT THE FULL LICENSE IS
ISSUED.
(D) A HOLDER OF A PROVISIONAL LICENSE AND THE SUPERVISING SOCIAL
WORKER ARE JOINTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR ENSURING COMPLIANCE WITH THE
SUPERVISION AND EXPIRATION REQUIREMENTS OF SUBSECTIONS (B)(2) AND (C) OF
THIS SECTION.
(E) THE BOARD SHALL ISSUE A FULL LICENSE UNDER § 19–302 OF THIS
SUBTITLE TO A HOLDER OF A PROVISIONAL LICENSE WHO DEMONSTRATES TO THE
SATISFACTION OF THE BOARD THAT THE HOLDER HAS ACHIEVED A SATISFACTORY
SCORE ON AN EXAMINATION, AS REQUIRED UNDER § 19–302 OF THIS SUBTITLE.
(F) SUPERVISED HOURS COMPLETED UNDER A PROVISIONAL LICENSE:
(1) MAY BE COUNTED TOWARD THE SUPERVISED EXPERIENCE
REQUIRED FOR INDEPENDENT PRACTICE APPROVAL UNDER § 19–302(F) OF THIS
SUBTITLE; AND
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Ch. 226 2026 LAWS OF MARYLAND
(2) MAY NOT BE COUNTED TOWARD THE SUPERVISED EXPERIENCE
REQUIRED TO QUALIFY FOR A CERTIFIED SOCIAL WORKER–CLINICAL LICENSE
UNDER § 19–302(E) OF THIS SUBTITLE.
(G) THE BOARD SHALL ADOPT REGULATIONS TO CARRY OUT THIS SECTION,
INCLUDING REGULATIONS THAT ESTABLISH:
(1) MINIMUM SUPERVISION REQUIREMENTS AND REPORTING
PROCEDURES;
(2) STANDARDS FOR EVALUATING SUPERVISED PRACTICE AS
DESCRIBED IN SUBSECTION (E)(2) OF THIS SECTION;
(3) REQUIREMENTS TO ENSURE THAT THE TRACKING OF
PROVISIONAL LICENSES ALIGNS WITH EXISTING LICENSURE CYCLES; AND
(4) A REASONABLE FEE FOR THE ISSUANCE OF A PROVISIONAL
LICENSE SUFFICIENT TO COVER ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.
(H) ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 31 EACH YEAR, BEGINNING IN 2026 2027,
THE BOARD SHALL REPORT TO THE SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE AND THE HOUSE
HEALTH COMMITTEE, IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT
ARTICLE, THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION FOR THE IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING
12–MONTH PERIOD:
(1) THE NUMBER OF PROVISIONAL LICENSES ISSUED;
(2) THE NUMBER OF HOLDERS OF PROVISIONAL LICENSES WHO
OBTAINED FULL LICENSURE UNDER SUBSECTION (E) OF THIS SECTION; AND
(3) ANY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVING:
(I) THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS SECTION; AND
(II) THE IMPACT OF THIS SECTION ON THE HEALTH CARE
WORKFORCE.
19–309.1.
(a) [If an administrative delay for any reason or an unforeseen circumstance, act,
or occurrence prevents an examination required under this subtitle from being available to
an applicant for a period of at least 15 business days, the] THE Board [may] SHALL issue
a conditional license to an applicant who, except for passing the examination OTHERWISE
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WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 226
REQUIRED UNDER THIS SUBTITLE, has met the appropriate education and experience
requirements of this subtitle for a license issued under § 19–302 of this subtitle to practice:
(1) Bachelor social work; or
(2) Master social work.
(b) A conditional license issued under this section [authorizes]:
(1) AUTHORIZES the holder to practice social work in the State only
WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THE SPECIFIC CATEGORY OF LICENSE ISSUED BY THE BOARD;
(2) REQUIRES THE HOLDER TO PRACTICE under the supervision of a
Board–approved supervisor [while the conditional license is effective] IN ACCORDANCE
WITH REGULATIONS ADOPTED UNDER THIS SECTION; AND
(3) MAY BE ISSUED ONLY TO AN INITIAL APPLICANT FOR LICENSURE
WHO HAS NOT PREVIOUSLY BEEN LICENSED UNDER THIS TITLE.
(c) A conditional license [is valid until 180 days after the examination becomes
readily available to the applicant]:
(1) EXPIRES ON A DATE SET BY THE BOARD THAT IS AT LEAST 12
MONTHS, BUT NOT MORE THAN 24 MONTHS, AFTER THE DATE OF ISSUANCE;
(2) MAY NOT BE RENEWED; AND
(3) SHALL TERMINATE AUTOMATICALLY ON:
(I) THE EXPIRATION DATE; OR
(II) IF THE HOLDER APPLIES AND QUALIFIES FOR A LICENSE
UNDER SUBSECTION (E) OF THIS SECTION, THE DATE THAT THE FULL LICENSE IS
ISSUED.
(D) A HOLDER OF A CONDITIONAL LICENSE UNDER THIS SECTION AND THE
SUPERVISING SOCIAL WORKER ARE JOINTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR ENSURING
COMPLIANCE WITH THE SUPERVISION AND EXPIRATION REQUIREMENTS OF
SUBSECTIONS (B)(2) AND (C) OF THIS SECTION.
(E) THE BOARD SHALL ISSUE A FULL LICENSE UNDER § 19–302 OF THIS
SUBTITLE TO A HOLDER OF A CONDITIONAL LICENSE UNDER THIS SECTION WHO
DEMONSTRATES TO THE SATISFACTION OF THE BOARD THAT THE HOLDER HAS:
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Ch. 226 2026 LAWS OF MARYLAND
(1) ACHIEVED A SATISFACTORY SCORE ON AN EXAMINATION, AS
REQUIRED UNDER § 19–302 OF THIS SUBTITLE; OR
(2) COMPLETED AT LEAST 1,500 HOURS OF SUPERVISED
EXPERIENCE IN THE PRACTICE OF SOCIAL WORK DURING THE PERIOD OF
CONDITIONAL LICENSURE, AS VERIFIED BY A BOARD–APPROVED SUPERVISOR, IN
ACCORDANCE WITH STANDARDS ESTABLISHED BY THE BOARD, IN CONSULTATION
WITH AN INSTITUTION THAT:
(I) IS ACCREDITED BY THE COUNCIL ON SOCIAL WORK
EDUCATION OR AN EQUIVALENT ORGANIZATION APPROVED BY THE COUNCIL ON
SOCIAL WORK EDUCATION; AND
(II) OFFERS BOTH A BACCALAUREATE DEGREE AND A MASTER’S
DEGREE.
(F) THE BOARD SHALL ADOPT REGULATIONS TO CARRY OUT THIS SECTION,
INCLUDING REGULATIONS THAT ESTABLISH:
(1) MINIMUM SUPERVISION REQUIREMENTS AND REPORTING
PROCEDURES;
(2) STANDARDS FOR EVALUATING SUPERVISED PRACTICE AS
DESCRIBED IN SUBSECTION (E)(2) OF THIS SECTION;
(3) REQUIREMENTS TO ENSURE THAT THE TRACKING OF
CONDITIONAL LICENSES ISSUED UNDER THIS SECTION ALIGNS WITH EXISTING
LICENSURE CYCLES; AND
(4) A REASONABLE FEE FOR THE ISSUANCE OF A CONDITIONAL
LICENSE ISSUED UNDER THIS SECTION SUFFICIENT TO COVER ADMINISTRATIVE
COSTS.
[(d)] (G) On or before December 31 each year, beginning in [2024,] 2026, the
Board shall report to the Senate Finance Committee and the House Health and
Government Operations Committee, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government
Article, the following information for the immediately preceding 12–month period:
[(1) Whether the examination was unavailable at any time during the
reporting period; and
(2) If the examination was unavailable:
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WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 226
(i) The number of applicants who were eligible for a conditional
license due to the unavailability of the examination;
(ii) The number of applicants who applied to take the examination;
(iii) The number of applications that were delayed in processing; and
(iv) The number of conditional licenses issued under this section.]
(1) THE NUMBER OF CONDITIONAL LICENSES ISSUED UNDER THIS
SECTION;
(2) THE NUMBER OF HOLDERS OF CONDITIONAL LICENSES WHO
OBTAINED FULL LICENSURE UNDER SUBSECTION (E) OF THIS SECTION; AND
(3) ANY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVING:
(I) THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS SECTION; AND
(II) THE IMPACT OF THIS SECTION ON THE HEALTH CARE
WORKFORCE.
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act is an emergency
measure, is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public health or safety, has
been passed by a yea and nay vote supported by three–fifths of all the members elected to
each of the two Houses of the General Assembly, and shall take effect from the date it is
enacted.
Approved by the Governor, April 28, 2026.
–7–Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.