Kentucky
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House Bill 424

Actions | Amendments

Last Action	03/19/26: passed over and retained in the Consent Orders of the Day
Title	AN ACT relating to social work.
Bill Documents	Current Introduced
Bill Request Number	1728
Sponsors	S. Heavrin, G. Brown Jr., B. Chester-Burton
Summary of Original Version	Amend KRS 335.010 to exempt student interns or trainees from social work licensure requirements; direct the Kentucky Board of Social Work to promulgate administrative regulations to define standards for student involvement in clinical social work; amend KRS 335.020 to define terms; amend KRS 335.030, 335.070, 335.080, 335.090, 335.100, 335.150, and 335.158 to establish licensure standards, including use of a multistate license, criminal background checks, and telehealth; amend KRS 335.050 to require that at least 1 licensee member of the board is a teacher actively engaged in social work education; amend KRS 387.610 and 457.090 to conform.
Index Headings of Original Version	Administrative Regulations And Proceedings - Kentucky Board of Social Work, education, student interns Background Checks - Social workers, interstate compact, licensing Boards And Commissions - Kentucky Board of Social Work, membership Compacts, Interstate - Social workers, interstate compact, licensing Education, Higher - Social workers, education, student interns Health And Medical Services - Social workers, education and licensing Health Care Professionals - Social workers, education and licensing Licensing - Social workers, practice requirements Mental Health - Social workers, education and licensing Occupations And Professions - Social workers, education and licensing Universities And Colleges - Social workers, education, student interns
Jump to Proposed Amendments	House Committee Substitute 1 Senate Committee Substitute 1
Votes	Vote History

Actions

Top | Amendments

01/16/26	introduced in House to Committee on Committees (H)
01/27/26	to Licensing, Occupations, & Administrative Regulations (H)
02/11/26	reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar with Committee Substitute (1)
02/12/26	2nd reading, to Rules
02/17/26	posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Wednesday, February 18 2026
02/18/26	3rd reading, passed 94-0 with Committee Substitute (1)
02/19/26	received in Senate to Committee on Committees (S)
03/13/26	to Licensing & Occupations (S)
03/17/26	reported favorably, 1st reading, to Consent Calendar with Committee Substitute (1)
03/18/26	2nd reading, to Rules as a consent bill posted for passage in the Consent Orders of the Day for Thursday, March 19 2026
03/19/26	passed over and retained in the Consent Orders of the Day

Proposed Amendments

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Amendment	House Committee Substitute 1
Summary	Retain original provisions; exempt employees and applicants of child-caring facilities or child-placing agencies from social worker licensure requirements if the facility or agency is contracted with the state for foster care services; exclude the practice of clinical social work by a certified social worker or licensed clinical social worker from the licensure exemption.
Index Headings	Children And Minors - Social workers, child-caring or child-placing entity employees, licensure exemption Contracts - Social workers, state contract for foster care services, licensure exemption Health And Medical Services - Social workers, child-caring or child-placing entity employees, licensure exemption Health Care Professionals - Social workers, child-caring or child-placing entity employees, licensure exemption Licensing - Social workers, child-caring or child-placing entity employees, exemption Mental Health - Social workers, child-caring or child-placing entity employees, licensure exemption Occupations And Professions - Social workers, child-caring or child-placing entity employees, licensure exemption

Amendment	Senate Committee Substitute 1
Summary	Retain original provisions, except remove existing criminal background check requirements; create a new section of KRS 335.010 to 335.160 to require a national and state criminal background check for social worker applicants seeking an initial license, reinstatement of a license, or authorization to practice in another state under a compact; prohibit board distribution of the results of a national and state criminal background check except to the requesting applicant or as evidence in a legal proceeding; limit the fee charged by the Department of Kentucky State Police to an amount no greater than the actual cost of processing the request and conducting the background check; require the board to review criminal background checks for every Kentucky licensee seeking to practice in another state before granting the person compact privileges; forbid the board from requiring a criminal background check solely for the purpose of renewing a license; require the board to promulgate implementing administrative regulations.
Index Headings	Administrative Regulations And Proceedings - Background checks, social worker license, requirement Background Checks - Social workers, licensure, requirement Boards And Commissions - Kentucky Board of Social Work, background checks, license requirement Compacts, Interstate - Background checks, social worker license, requirement Health And Medical Services - Background checks, social worker license, requirement Licensing - Background checks, social worker license, requirement Mental Health - Background checks, social worker license, requirement Occupations And Professions - Social workers, background checks, license requirement Police, State - Background checks, social workers, requirement

Last updated: 3/19/2026 8:27 PM (EDT)