HB5435 - 104th General Assembly (2025-2026)
SOCIAL WORK LICENSURE REQS
Last Action
3/19/2026 - House: Placed on Calendar 2nd Reading - Short Debate
Hearings
Health Care Licenses Committee Hearing Mar 19 2026 10:00AM Capitol Building Room 122 Springfield, IL - House Committee Amendment 1
Statutes Amended In Order of Appearance
Synopsis As Introduced
Amends the Clinical Social Work and Social Work Practice Act. In provisions concerning the qualifications for a clinical social worker license, provides that a person shall be qualified to be a licensed clinical social worker if that person, among other things, (i) demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation that, subsequent to securing a master's degree in social work from an approved program and obtaining a social worker license or temporarily practicing pending the issuance of a social worker license if the license was ultimately issued (rather than subsequent to only securing a master's degree), the applicant has successfully completed at least 3,000 hours of satisfactory, supervised clinical professional experience; or (ii) demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Department that such applicant has received a doctor's degree in social work from an approved program and has, subsequent to receiving the degree, completed at least 2,000 hours of satisfactory, supervised clinical professional experience after obtaining a social worker license or during temporary practice pending the issuance of a social worker license if the license was ultimately issued (rather than subsequent to only securing a master's degree). Provides that any hours of supervised clinical professional experience completed before the effective date of the amendatory Act may be counted toward the required hours for qualification for a clinical social worker license if the hours were completed subsequent to securing an applicable graduate degree and the completed hours would have qualified towards licensure under the law in effect at the time the hours were earned. In provisions concerning qualifications for a social worker license, provides that a person shall be qualified to be a licensed social worker if that person, among other things, has a degree in social work from an undergraduate program approved by the Department and has successfully completed at least 3,000 hours (rather than 3 years) of supervised professional experience subsequent to obtaining the degree within a period of no more than 4 years. Provides that the Department may grant a waiver for or an extension of the 4-year time period if an applicant demonstrates that there is good cause to grant the waiver or extension. Makes other changes. Effective January 1, 2027.
House Committee Amendment No. 1
Adds reference to:
Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill with the following changes. In provisions concerning qualifications for licensure as a licensed social worker, provides that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation may grant a waiver for or an extension of the 4-year time period under the provisions upon a showing of good cause. Further amends the Clinical Social Work and Social Work Practice Act. In provisions concerning endorsement, provides that the Department may issue a license as a clinical social worker or as a social worker, without the required examination, to an applicant licensed under the laws of another jurisdiction if the requirements for licensure in that jurisdiction are, on the date of licensure, substantially equivalent to the requirements of the Act, except for the requirement to be licensed while obtaining the required supervised experience. Effective January 1, 2027.
Actions
| Date | Chamber | Action |
|---|---|---|
| 2/06/2026 | House | Filed with the Clerk by Rep. Theresa Mah |
| 2/13/2026 | House | First Reading |
| 2/13/2026 | House | Referred to Rules Committee |
| 3/04/2026 | House | Assigned to Health Care Licenses Committee |
| 3/13/2026 | House | House Committee Amendment No. 1 Filed with Clerk by Rep. Theresa Mah |
| 3/13/2026 | House | House Committee Amendment No. 1 Referred to Rules Committee |
| 3/18/2026 | House | House Committee Amendment No. 1 Rules Refers to Health Care Licenses Committee |
| 3/19/2026 | House | House Committee Amendment No. 1 Adopted in Health Care Licenses Committee; by Voice Vote |
| 3/19/2026 | House | Do Pass as Amended / Short Debate Health Care Licenses Committee; 015-000-000 |
| 3/19/2026 | House | Placed on Calendar 2nd Reading - Short Debate |