SB158,58Section 58. 457.09 (4) (b) 1. and 2. of the statutes, as affected by 2023 Wisconsin Act 55, are amended to read:

457.09 (4) (b) 1. A human services internship that involves direct practice with clients and that is supervised by a social worker certified under this subchapter who has a bachelor’s or master’s degree in social work.

2. One year of social work employment that involves direct practice with clients and that is supervised by a social worker certified under this subchapter who has a bachelor’s or master’s degree in social work.

457.20 (1) The department shall issue a certificate of certification or licensure to each individual who is certified or licensed under this chapter subchapter.

(2) The renewal dates for certificates and licenses granted under this chapter subchapter, other than training certificates and licenses or temporary certificates or licenses, are specified under s. 440.08 (2) (a).

457.24 (1) Except as provided in sub. (2), a person licensed as a clinical social worker, marriage and family therapist, or professional counselor under this chapter may not practice clinical social work, marriage and family therapy, or professional counseling unless he or she has in effect professional liability insurance. The examining board shall promulgate rules establishing the minimum amount of insurance required under this subsection.

457.25 (1g) In this section, “credential holder” also includes an individual practicing under a multistate authorization to practice.

SB158,63Section 63. 457.26 (2) (intro.) of the statutes, as affected by 2023 Wisconsin Act 55, is amended to read:

457.26 (2) (intro.) Subject to the rules promulgated under s. 440.03 (1), the appropriate section of the examining board may reprimand a credential holder or an individual practicing under a multistate authorization to practice or deny, limit, suspend, or revoke a credential under this subchapter or a multistate authorization to practice if it finds that the applicant or credential holder individual has done any of the following:

SB158,64Section 64. Subchapter III of chapter 457 [precedes 457.70] of the statutes is created to read:

457.70 Social work licensure compact. (1) Purpose. The purpose of this compact is to facilitate interstate practice of regulated social workers by improving public access to competent social work services. The compact preserves the regulatory authority of states to protect public health and safety through the current system of state licensure. This compact is designed to achieve the following objectives:

(a) Increase public access to social work services;

(b) Reduce overly burdensome and duplicative requirements associated with holding multiple licenses;

(d) Encourage the cooperation of member states in regulating multistate practice;

(e) Promote mobility and address workforce shortages by eliminating the necessity for licenses in multiple states by providing for the mutual recognition of other member state licenses;

(f) Support military families;

(g) Facilitate the exchange of licensure and disciplinary information among member states;

(h) Authorize all member states to hold a regulated social worker accountable for abiding by a member state’s laws, regulations, and applicable professional standards in the member state in which the client is located at the time care is rendered; and

(i) Allow for the use of telehealth to facilitate increased access to regulated social work services.

(2) Definitions. As used in this compact, and except as otherwise provided, the following definitions shall apply:

(a) “Active military member” means any individual with full-time duty status in the active armed forces of the United States including members of the national guard and reserve.