Adopting Social Work Licensure Compact

The bill now amends and reenacts existing sections 30-30-3 (Definitions) and 30-30-5 (Powers and duties of the board), expanding its reach beyond just adding the new compact article to also modifying the existing Social Work licensing framework.

A new definition of 'Multistate license' is added to section 30-30-3, defining it as a license issued by the board that authorizes a regulated social worker to practice in all member states under the Social Work Licensure Compact.

A new subsection (d) is added to section 30-30-5 authorizing the Board of Social Work to require state and national criminal history record checks as a condition of eligibility for a multistate license. Applicants must submit fingerprints, authorize the FBI and WV State Police to access records, and pay actual costs. Results are not public records and may only be released to the individual, with written authorization, or by court order.

Section 30-30A-7 heading corrected from 'Reissuance of a multistate of a multistate license by a new home state' to 'Reissuance of a multistate license by a new home state,' removing a duplicated phrase.

Numerous typographical corrections throughout the compact text, including adding Oxford commas, removing extra spaces, changing 'eleven (11)' to '11', changing 'thirty days' to '30 days', and fixing inconsistent punctuation in lists.