Illinois legislation · 104th General Assembly
Illinois HB5435: SOCIAL WORK LICENSURE REQS
Status: Signed into law, July 31, 2026
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 complet
What the bill says
A bill FOR 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026HB5435Introduced 2/13/2026, by Rep. Theresa MahSYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: See Index See Index See Index Amends the Clinical Social Work and Social Work Practice Act…
From the introduced text, February 6, 2026:
A BILL FOR 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026HB5435Introduced 2/13/2026, by Rep. Theresa MahSYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: See Index See Index See Index Amends the Clinical Social Work and Social Work Practice Act. Inprovisions concerning the qualifications for a clinical social workerlicense, provides that a person shall be qualified to be a licensedclinical social worker if that person, among other things, (i)demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Department of Financial andProfessional Regulation that, subsequent to securing a master's degree insocial work from an approved program and obtaining a social worker licenseor temporarily practicing pending the issuance of a social worker licenseif the license was ultimately issued (rather than subsequent to onlysecuring a master's degree), the applicant has successfully completed atleast 3,000 hours of satisfactory, supervised clinical professionalexperience; or (ii) demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Departmentthat such applicant has received a doctor's degree in social work from anapproved program and has, subsequent to receiving the degree, completed atleast 2,000 hours of satisfactory, supervised clinical professionalexperience after obtaining a social worker license or during temporarypractice pending the issuance of a social worker license if the license wasultimately issued (rather than subsequent to only securing a master'sdegree). Provides that any hours of supervised clinical professionalexperience completed before the effective date of the amendatory Act maybe counted toward the required hours …
Sponsors
- Theresa Mah (D, 24) · primary sponsor
- Karina Villa (D, 25)
- Suzy Glowiak Hilton (D, 23)
- Mary Edly-Allen (D, 31)
- Elgie Sims (D, 17)
Latest actions
- : Public Act . . . . . . . . . 104-0702
- : Effective Date January 1, 2027
- : Governor Approved
- : Sent to the Governor
- : Added as Alternate Co-Sponsor Sen. Elgie R. Sims, Jr.
- : Added as Alternate Co-Sponsor Sen. Mary Edly-Allen
- : Added as Alternate Co-Sponsor Sen. Suzy Glowiak Hilton
- : Passed Both Houses
- : Third Reading - Passed; 059-000-000
- : Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading **
Votes
- Third Reading - Passed (May 21, 2026): 59 yea, 0 nay, passed
- Do Pass Licensed Activities (May 6, 2026): 9 yea, 0 nay, passed
- Third Reading - Short Debate - Passed (April 14, 2026): 110 yea, 0 nay, passed
- Do Pass as Amended / Short Debate Health Care Licenses Committee (March 19, 2026): 15 yea, 0 nay, passed
Subjects: ILCS 225 - Professions
Common questions
- What is HB5435?
- HB5435 is a bill in the Illinois Legislature (104th General Assembly): SOCIAL WORK LICENSURE REQS.
- What does HB5435 do?
- In its own words: A bill FOR 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026HB5435Introduced 2/13/2026, by Rep. Theresa MahSYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: See Index See Index See Index Amends the Clinical Social Work and Social Work Practice Act…
- What is the status of HB5435?
- Signed into law as of July 31, 2026. Latest action: Public Act . . . . . . . . . 104-0702 (July 31, 2026).
- Who sponsored HB5435?
- Theresa Mah (D, 24), with 4 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for HB5435?
- On the Illinois Legislature website: https://www.ilga.gov/Legislation/BillStatus?DocNum=5435&GAID=18&DocTypeID=HB&SessionID=114
Source: official Illinois record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.