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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the licensing and practice of social work. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 505.351, Occupations Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1) to read as |
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follows: |
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(a) A person may not engage in the practice of social work |
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unless the person holds an appropriate license issued under this |
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chapter. |
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(a-1) A person may not use or cause to be used the title |
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"social worker," "licensed baccalaureate social worker," "licensed |
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master social worker," "licensed clinical social worker," or |
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"licensed social worker," or any combination, variation, or |
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abbreviation of those titles, as a professional or business |
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identification, representation, asset, or means of obtaining a |
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benefit unless the person holds an appropriate license issued under |
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this chapter. |
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SECTION 2. Section 505.353(b), Occupations Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(b) An applicant may take the licensing examination |
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conducted by the board under Section 505.354 for: |
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(1) a master social worker license if the applicant |
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possesses a doctoral or master's degree in social work from a |
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graduate program that is accredited by or is in candidacy for |
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accreditation by the Council on Social Work Education; |
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(2) a baccalaureate social worker license if the |
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applicant possesses a baccalaureate degree in social work from an |
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educational program that is accredited by or is in candidacy for |
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accreditation by the Council on Social Work Education; or |
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(3) a clinical social worker license if the applicant |
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possesses a doctoral or master's degree in social work from an |
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accredited graduate program approved by the board and meets the |
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qualifications for clinical social work practice as determined by |
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the board under this chapter. |
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SECTION 3. The changes in law made by this Act to Section |
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505.353, Occupations Code, apply to a license for which an |
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application is filed on or after the effective date of this Act. A |
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license application filed before the effective date of this Act is |
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governed by the law in effect on the date the application was filed, |
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and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |