SOCIAL WORKERS - H.B. 4274 (S-3): FLOOR ANALYSIS

House Bill 4274 (Substitute S-3 as reported)

Sponsor: Representative David Gubow

House Committee: Health Policy

Senate Committee: Economic Development, International Trade and Regulatory Affairs

CONTENT

The bill would amend the Public Health Code to provide for the registration and regulation of social workers; specify application and license fees (which would be the same as current fees); and repeal Article 16 of the Occupational Code, which currently provides for the registration and regulation of social workers. The bill would take effect December 31, 1998, and is tie-barred to House Bill 5736.

The bill also would create the Michigan Board of Social Work in the Department of Consumer and Industry Services and require the Board to register social workers. The Board would consist of four certified social workers, two social workers, and three public members. Current members of the Board of Examiners of Social Workers would serve as the initial members of the new Board until their successors were appointed or until their respective terms expired, whichever occurred first. The mandatory academic training for social workers would have to be obtained from an accredited training program, college, or university that was approved by the Board.

A person registered under current provisions of the Occupational Code on the bill's effective date would remain registered until the registration expired; then he or she could renew the registration under the provisions of the Public Health Code.

Rules promulgated by the current board and in effect on the bill's effective date would continue in effect to the extent that they did not conflict with the Code, and would have to continue to be enforced. The rules could be amended or rescinded by the Director of the Department.

(House Bill 5736 (H-2) would amend the Nonprofit Health Care Corporation Reform Act to specify that a health care corporation would not be required to reimburse for services performed by a member of a health care profession that was not licensed or registered on or before January 1, 1998, but became a licensed or registered health care profession after January 1, 1998.)

MCL 333.16131 et al - Legislative Analyst: N. Nagata

FISCAL IMPACT

The bill would have no fiscal impact on State or local government.

Date Completed: 12-3-98 - Fiscal Analyst: M. Tyszkiewiczfloor\hb4274 (S-3) - Analysis available @ http://www.michiganlegislature.org

This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.