AB 427: Social workers: interstate compact.

Official summary

Legislative Counsel’s Digest (official, as of the latest version). Written by nonpartisan legislative staff; reproduced verbatim.

Existing law, the Clinical Social Worker Practice Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of clinical social workers by the Board of Behavioral Sciences. Existing law requires the board to issue a clinical social worker license to each applicant who qualifies pursuant to the act and who successfully passes a California law and ethics examination and a clinical examination.

This bill would ratify and approve the Social Work Licensure Compact, which authorizes member states to issue multistate licenses to applicants meeting specified education and experience requirements. Under the compact, a multistate license grants the holder an authorization to practice in other member states. The compact provides for the creation of a commission and requires the board to select a delegate to serve on the commission. This bill would require the board to comply with the requirements of the compact and to adopt regulations necessary to implement that compact.

Existing law prohibits an individual from styling themselves, or holding themselves out to be, a “licensed clinical social worker,” and makes it unlawful to engage in the practice of clinical social work unless they hold a license under the Clinical Social Worker Practice Act.

This bill would instead prohibit those acts unless they hold a license under the act or under the above-described compact.

This bill would become operative only upon certification by the Director of Consumer Affairs that a majority of the board has voted in favor of joining the compact and would require the director to notify the Secretary of State and the Legislative Counsel Bureau of the date of that certification.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 1

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

1. February 2, 2026From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56.
2. January 31, 2026Died pursuant to Art. IV, Sec. 10(c) of the Constitution.
3. May 23, 2025In committee: Held under submission.
4. May 14, 2025In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to suspense file.
5. April 22, 2025From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 12. Noes 0.) (April 22). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
6. April 10, 2025Re-referred to Com. on JUD.
7. April 9, 2025Read second time and amended.
8. April 8, 2025From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 16. Noes 0.) (April 8).
9. March 25, 2025Re-referred to Com. on B. & P.
10. March 24, 2025From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on B. & P. Read second time and amended.
11. March 24, 2025Referred to Coms. on B. & P. and JUD.
12. February 6, 2025From printer. May be heard in committee March 8.