Report Title:

Civil Service; Preserve Social Worker Series Classifications

Description:

Prohibits department of human resources development from eliminating the social worker series classifications. Restores social worker class if eliminated before the effective date of this Act. Requires an individual to hold an advanced degree in social work to be in the social work class. (SB1773 HD2)

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

1773

TWENTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2005

S.D. 2

STATE OF HAWAII

H.D. 2


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

relating to social workers.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. Chapter 76, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§76-   Social worker class; elimination or replacement prohibited. The department of human resources development shall not eliminate the class known on July 1, 2004, as social worker in all its classifications, or replace it with any other class titled social worker, human services professional, or otherwise titled, throughout all jurisdictions of the state civil service, including the counties, the judiciary, the department of education, the University of Hawaii, and the Hawaii health systems corporation. If the social worker class is eliminated or replaced and employees occupying positions in that class have been transferred to another class before the effective date of this Act, the transfer shall be deemed invalid and:

(1) The social worker class shall be immediately restored; and

(2) The department of human resources development shall require within qualifications for the social worker class, that individuals hold a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree in social work from a college or university social work program accredited by or deemed to be equivalent to a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education, Western Association of Schools and Colleges, or a comparable regional accreditation body;

(3) All individuals who meet the qualifications for the restored social worker class that:

(A) Transferred from the eliminated social worker class; or

(B) Were employed subsequent to July 15, 2004, in a social worker or human service professional position, or any position in the class which replaces the eliminated social worker class,

shall be immediately transferred back into the restored social worker class;

and

(4) The department of human resources development shall create a new class and transfer into that class, any individual who:

(A) Transferred from the eliminated social worker class; or

(B) Was employed subsequent to July 15, 2004, in a social worker or human services professional position, or any position in the class that replaces the eliminated social worker class;

who does not meet the qualifications for the restored social worker class."

SECTION 2. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2050.