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Committee Hears Bill Allowing Supervised Path to Social Worker Licensure

Postsecondary Education & Workforce Committee · January 21, 2026
AI-Generated Content: All content on this page was generated by AI to highlight key points from the meeting. For complete details and context, we recommend watching the full video. so we can fix them.

Summary

A House committee heard testimony on HB 2286, which would let advanced social workers substitute enhanced supervised experience and supervisor attestation for the ASWB exam and count that supervision toward experience requirements; supporters cited equity and workforce access, while the Association of Social Work Boards warned of compact and public‑protection concerns.

The Postsecondary Education & Workforce Committee heard House Bill 2286 on an alternative pathway to social worker licensure. Representative Alicia Ruhl (42nd District), the bill’s prime sponsor, told the committee the measure preserves education, supervision and oversight while offering a new route for applicants who demonstrate competence through enhanced supervision rather than a written exam.

"This bill is about maintaining strong professional standards in this work but offering another pathway," Ruhl said, adding that some applicants perform better under relational supervision than on tests. Committee staff Elizabeth Wren summarized the bill, saying it removes the…

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