Sunset; State Board of Licensed Social Workers; extending sunset year.
Summary
HB1036 is a sunset-extension bill for the State Board of Licensed Social Workers. It amends the board’s governing statute to re-create the board and extend its termination date from July 1, 2025 to July 1, 2026 under Oklahoma’s Sunset Law. The bill does not change the board’s core regulatory mission or licensing framework; it simply keeps the board in existence for another year.
The measure preserves the board’s current seven-member structure, including licensed social workers, licensed clinical social workers, social work associates or master’s social workers, the president of the Oklahoma Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers, and one public member. It also leaves intact the board’s enforcement authority and the existing qualifications for board members, including residency, licensure, experience, and public-member conflict-of-interest restrictions.
Impact
HB1036 would amend 59 O.S. 2021, Section 1253, to continue the State Board of Licensed Social Workers for one additional year. In practical terms, this prevents the board from expiring on July 1, 2025 and allows it to continue regulating social work licensure and enforcing the Social Worker’s Licensing Act through July 1, 2026. No new duties, penalties, or licensing standards are created; the bill is a continuation measure affecting the board’s statutory existence and the professionals it regulates.
Sentiment
The available context suggests the bill is routine and largely noncontroversial. Because it is a sunset re-creation bill that simply extends an existing board for one year, the discussion record does not show any recorded opposition, amendments, or divided votes. The overall sentiment appears neutral to favorable, reflecting a standard administrative extension rather than a policy change.
Contention
There is no specific contention reflected in the provided committee or vote history. The only potential point of interest is the broader policy question common to sunset bills: whether the board should continue to exist and for how long. However, this bill does not alter board powers, membership composition, or licensing requirements, so no stakeholder disputes are evident in the record provided.