Connecticut HB 5166: AN ACT CONCERNING PAYMENT IN LIEU OF TAXES.

Bill Text

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General Assembly Raised Bill No. 5166
February Session, 2026 LCO No. 750

Referred to Committee on PUBLIC HEALTH

Introduced by:
(PH)

AN ACT CONCERNING SOCIAL WORK LICENSURE.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1. Section 20-195n of the general statutes is repealed and the 1
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 2
(a) No person shall practice clinical social work unless such person 3
has obtained a license pursuant to this section. 4
(b) An applicant for licensure as a master social worker shall: (1) [(A)] 5
Hold a master's degree from a social work program [(i)] (A) accredited 6
by the Council on Social Work Education, or [(ii)] (B) that is in candidate 7
status for accreditation by said council and offered by an institution of 8
higher education in the state during or after the spring semester of 2024, 9
and prior to the spring semester of 2028; [,] or [(B)] (2) if educated 10
outside the United States or its territories, have completed an 11
educational program deemed equivalent by the council. [; and (2) pass 12
the masters level examination of the Association of Social Work Boards 13
or any other examination prescribed by the commissioner.] 14
(c) An applicant for licensure as a clinical social worker shall: (1) Hold 15

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a doctorate or master's degree from a social work program accredited 16
by the Council on Social Work Education or, if educated outside the 17
United States or its territories, have completed an educational program 18
deemed equivalent by the council; (2) have three thousand hours post-19
master's social work experience which shall include not less than one 20
hundred hours of work under professional supervision by a licensed 21
clinical or certified independent social worker, provided on and after 22
October 1, 2011, such hours completed in this state shall be as a licensed 23
master social worker; and (3) pass the clinical level examination of the 24
Association of Social Work Boards or any other examination prescribed 25
by the commissioner. On and after October 1, 1995, any person certified 26
as an independent social worker prior to October 1, 1995, shall be 27
deemed licensed as a clinical social worker pursuant to this section, 28
except a person certified as an independent social worker on and after 29
October 1, 1990, shall not be deemed licensed as a clinical social worker 30
pursuant to this chapter unless such person has satisfied the 31
requirements of subdivision (3) of this subsection. 32
(d) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (b) of this section, 33
the commissioner may grant a license by endorsement to an applicant 34
who presents evidence satisfactory to the commissioner that the 35
applicant [(1)] is licensed or certified as a master social worker or clinical 36
social worker in good standing in another state or jurisdiction whose 37
requirements for practicing in such capacity are substantially similar to 38
or higher than those of this state. [, and (2) has successfully completed 39
the master level examination of the Association of Social Work Boards, 40
or its successor organization, or any other examination prescribed by 41
the commissioner.] No license shall be issued under this subsection to 42
any applicant against whom professional disciplinary action is pending 43
or who is the subject of an unresolved complaint. 44
(e) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (c) of this section, 45
the commissioner may grant a license by endorsement to an applicant 46
who presents evidence satisfactory to the commissioner that the 47
applicant (1) is licensed or certified as a clinical social worker in good 48
standing in another state or jurisdiction whose requirements for 49

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practicing in such capacity are substantially similar to or greater than 50
those of this state, and (2) has successfully completed the clinical level 51
examination of the Association of Social Work Boards, or its successor 52
organization, or any other examination prescribed by the commissioner. 53
No license shall be issued under this subsection to any applicant against 54
whom professional disciplinary action is pending or who is the subject 55
of an unresolved complaint. 56
(f) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, an applicant who 57
is licensed or certified as a clinical social worker or its equivalent in 58
another state, territory or commonwealth of the United States may 59
substitute three years of licensed or certified work experience in the 60
practice of clinical social work in lieu of the requirements of subdivision 61
(2) of subsection (c) of this section, provided the commissioner finds that 62
such experience is equal to or greater than the requirements of this state. 63
(g) The commissioner shall notify each applicant who is approved to 64
take an examination required under subs