HOUSE BILL 619

51st legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2013

INTRODUCED BY

Rick Miera

AN ACT

RELATING TO PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE; AMENDING A SECTION OF THE SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE ACT TO ALLOW CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS WITH ADVANCED DEGREES TO BE LICENSED WITHOUT WRITTEN EXAMINATION REGARDLESS OF DATE OF APPLICATION.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     SECTION 1. Section 61-31-12 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1989, Chapter 51, Section 12, as amended) is amended to read:

     "61-31-12. LICENSURE WITHOUT WRITTEN EXAMINATION--LICENSURE WITH WRITTEN EXAMINATION FOR CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS.--

          A. An applicant for licensure under Section 61-31-9 NMSA 1978 may be licensed without written examination if the applicant:

                (1) meets all other requirements for licensure as a baccalaureate social worker, independent social worker or master social worker and files [his] an application [within one year of the effective date of the Social Work Practice Act] before July 1, 1990;

                (2) has a bachelor's degree in a field other than social work, has been employed for one year immediately preceding [the effective date of the Social Work Practice Act] July 1, 1989 in a private agency or public agency other than an executive agency in a position as described in any of the areas of specialization pursuant to Subsection B of Section 61-31-6 NMSA 1978 under the title of social worker or other title under which [he] the applicant is deemed by the board to be practicing social work and has filed [his] an application [within one year of the effective date of the Social Work Practice Act; or] before July 1, 1990;

                (3) has a bachelor's degree or higher in a field other than social work, has been employed in an executive agency under the title of social worker or other title under which [he] the applicant is deemed by the board to be practicing social work and has filed [his] an application [within three years of the effective date of the Social Work Practice Act] before July 1, 1992; or

                (4) has filed an application, has a master's degree in social work, meets all other requirements for licensure as a master social worker and has been employed for at least three years in a private agency or public agency under the title of social worker or other title under which the applicant is deemed by the board to have been practicing social work.

          B. An applicant for licensure under Section 61-31-9 NMSA 1978 who has a master's or doctoral degree in a closely related field other than social work may be licensed as a master social worker if [he] the applicant has been employed for one year immediately preceding [the effective date of the Social Work Practice Act] July 1, 1989 in a private agency or public agency other than an executive agency in a position as described in any of the areas of specialization pursuant to Subsection B of Section 61-31-6 NMSA 1978, under the title of social worker or other title under which [he] the applicant is deemed by the board to be practicing social work, has filed [his] an application [within one year of the effective date of that act] before July 1, 1990 and passes a written examination as prescribed by the board in accordance with Paragraph (3) of Subsection B of Section 61-31-9 NMSA 1978."

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