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Board opposes Social Work Compact bill, citing consumer-safety and exam concerns
Summary
The board voted to oppose AB 427, the social-work interstate compact, expressing concerns about lack of California-specific law-and-ethics requirements, voting representation on a compact commission and potential impacts on consumer protections.
The California Board of Behavioral Sciences voted May 9 to oppose Assembly Bill 427, legislation that would join California to the Social Work Licensure Compact. The board's vote was prompted by concerns over consumer protections, exam requirements and regulatory oversight.
AB 427 would permit a licensed clinical social worker in a member state to practice in other compact states through a multistate license or authorization. The compact creates a national commission to adopt rules and administer a shared data system. Roseanne Helms, legislative manager, explained that while the compact's goal is portability and workforce mobility, it reduces some state-specific requirements the board currently enforces.
"The compact would not allow us to require that of individuals whose home state was out of California," Helms said, describing California's existing requirement that many out-of-state licensees take roughly 34 hours of California-specific continuing education (law and ethics, cultural competency and child-abuse reporting) as a condition of licensure here.
Board members cited multiple concerns: the compact does not require the California law-and-ethics exam or the coursework the board currently requires for out-of-state licensees, the compact commission uses equal votes per state rather than proportional representation (which can limit the influence of large states), and the prospect that only the home state could remove a multistate license. Members also raised equity and workforce questions.
"This bill would force you to keep qualified practitioners out by tying you indefinitely to that exam while simultaneously demanding that you let unprepared practitioners in through multistate licensing," commenter Ben Caldwell told the board, urging opposition.
The board adopted a motion to oppose AB 427, with one abstention. The board also directed staff to engage with the author's office and the compact commission to relay the board's concerns and explore whether amendments could address California's priorities.
