West Virginia HB5559: To facilitate interstate practice of Regulated Social Workers by improving public access to competent Social Work Services.

What the bill says

To amend and reenact §30-30-3 and §30-30-5 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended; and to amend the code by adding a new article, designated §30-30A-1, §30-30A-2, §30-30A-3, §30-30A-4, §30-30A-5, §30-30A-6, §30-30A-7, §30-30A-8, §30-30A-9, §30-30A-10, §30-30A-11, §30-30A-12, §30-30A-13, §30-30A-14, §30-30A-15, and §30-30A-16, relating to adopting the Social Work Licensure Compact; establishing purpose; defining terms; establishing requirements for state participation in compact; establishing requirements for a social worker participating in the compact; providing procedure for i.

From the introduced text, February 16, 2026:

A BILL to amend and reenact §30-30-3 and §30-30-5 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended; and to amend the code by adding a new article, designated §30-30A-1, §30-30A-2, §30-30A-3, §30-30A-4, §30-30A-5, §30-30A-6, §30-30A-7, §30-30A-8, §30-30A-9, §30-30A-10, §30-30A-11, §30-30A-12, §30-30A-13, §30-30A-14, §30-30A-15, and §30-30A-16, relating to adopting the Social Work Licensure Compact; establishing purpose; defining terms; establishing requirements for state participation in compact; establishing requirements for a social worker participating in the compact; providing procedure for issuance of multistate license; establishing the authority of the compact on member states; stating process for reissuance of license by new home state; providing for treatment of licenses for military members; describing authority of remote and home states to take adverse action against licensee; creating the Social Work Licensure Compact Commission; establishing commission membership, duties, and powers; providing for the creation of a data system to be utilized by members states; authorizing rulemaking; providing for oversight, dispute resolution, and enforcement of compact; specifying effective date; providing for construction and severability; providing for consistent effect; mandating that provisions of compact supersede when in conflict with other state laws; adding definition; and authorizing Board of Social Work to require criminal history record checks for applicants for compact participation. ARTICLE 30. SOCIAL WORKERS. §30-30-3. Definitions. As used in this article: (1) "Applicant" means any person …