CHAPTER 153

An Act to amend and reenact §§ 54-864, 54-867 and 54-868, as amended, of
the Code of Virginia, relating to the Department and Director of Pro-
fessional and Occupational Registration; and to amend the Code of
Virginia by adding in Title 54 a chapter numbered 18.1 containing
sections numbered 54-775.1 through 54-775.9, to create the Virginia
Board for Registration of Social Workers, and prescribe its powers,
duties and compensation; to provide for the examination, registration
and certification of social workers, and for the suspension, revocation
and renewal of such certification; to provide for the collection of cer-
tain fees; to appropriate funds; to prohibit certain acts; and to pro-
vide tes for violations.

fH 311)

Approved March 12, 1966

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia: a
L That §§ 54-864, 54-867 and 54-868, as amended, of the Code of
Virginia, be amended and reenacted; and that the Code of Virginia be
amended by adding in Title 54 a chapter numbered 18.1, containing sec-
tions numbered 54-775.1 through 54-775.9, the amended and added sections
being as follows:

§ 54-864. It shall be the duty of the Director to perform the admin-
istrative duties of the following boards and agencies of the Common-
wealth: (1) The State Board of Accountancy; (2) The State Board for
the Examination and Certification of Architects, Professional Engineers
and Land Surveyors; (3) The Examining Board for the Certification of
Clinical Psychologists; (4) The State Board for the Certification of
Librarians; (5) The Board of Examiners of Mines, created by Chapter
150 of the Acts of the General Assembly of nineteen hundred and forty;
(6) The Board of Commissioners to Examine Pilots; (7) The Virginia
Real Estate Commission; (8) The Board of Veterinary Examiners; (9)
The Board of Barber Examiners; (10) The Virginia State Board of Optt-
cians; (11) The Virginia State Board of Registered Professional Hair-
dressers; and (12) The Virginia Board for Registration of Social Workers.

Each of the * twenty-one boards designated in this section and
§ 54-865 is hereby transferred to the Department of Professional and
Occupational Registration, and each shall be a separate board within said
Department. All of the administrative functions of the * twelve boards
designated in this section shall be under the direction and supervision of
the Director, and it shall be the duty of the members of each of the several
boards designated in this section to co-operate with the Director to the
end that his powers of direction and supervision of the administrative
functions of each board shall not be impaired.
In the performance and discharge of his duties hereunder with
respect to the * twelve boards designated in this section only, the Director
shall (1) be the secretary of each board; (2) maintain all records for each
board; (3) collect and account for all fees prescribed by law to be paid
into each board and account for and deposit the moneys so collected in the
manner prescribed by the several acts creating said boards; (4) make and
file annually with the Governor a consolidated report with respect to each
board; (5) employ such personnel and assistance as may be required for
the operation of said boards; (6) enforce all regulations promulgated by
said boards; and (7) exercise such other powers as may be necessary to
function as the sole administrative officer and director of each of said

ards.

§ 54-867. The compensation of the Director and the employees with-
in the Department, including the compensation of the members of each
board, shall be paid out of the total funds collected on account of the
services performed by those certain * twelve boards not enumerated in
§ 54-865, and such compensation shall be charged to the accounts of the
respective boards in such proportion as the Director of the Budget shall
prescribe, and in furtherance of the accomplishment of this function the
Director shall maintain a separate account for each board showing the
moneys collected on its behalf and the expenses allocated to each board.

§ 54-868. All rights and powers heretofore vested in each of the *
twelve boards designated in § 54-864 with respect to the examination of
applicants, the granting, suspension and revocation of certificates, permits
and licenses, and the regulation of professions and occupations are hereby
preserved and continued in said boards undiminished and unimpaired by
any of the provisions of this chapter, it being the sole intent and purpose
of this chapter to coordinate and assemble said boards within the Depart-
ment of Professional and Occupational Registration so as to provide that
all of the purely administrative and enforcement functions with respect to
said boards shall be exercised by said Department.

The Boards are hereby continued within the Department, and all
existing provisions of law with respect to the appointment and qualification
of the members thereof are also continued, and all powers not specifically
reserved to the several boards under this chapter are transferred to and
vested in the Director.

CHAPTER 18.1.

8 54-775.1. (a) It shall be unlawful for any person not registered
with and holding a current certificate from the Virginia Board for Regis-
tration of Social Workers to represent himself as a Registered Social
Worker or as an Associate Social Worker, or to use any title which includes
the words “Registered Social Worker” or “Associate Social Worker’ or to
use the letters R.S.W. or A.S.W. in connection with his name.

(b) Any person violating any provision of this section shall be guilty
of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be punished by a fine of not
a than fifty dollars nor more than five hundred dollars for each such
offense.
§ 54-775.2. (a) There is hereby created in the Department of Pro-
fessional and Occupational Registration, the Virginia Board for Registra-
tion of Social Workers, hereinafter referred to as the Board. The Board
shall consist of five members appointed by the Governor. The members
first appointed shall be appointed for terms expiring, respectively, on June
thirty of the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth years following their
appointment. Subsequent appointments shall be for terms of five years,
except appointments to fill vacancies which shall be for the unexpired
terms. The Governor may remove any member for cause.

(b) Members of the Board shall be residents of Virginia, of good
maral character, and shall have been in the active practice of social work
for not less than five years prior to appointment. Three members of the
Board shall be qualified by education and experience for certification as
Registered Social Workers and two members of the Board shall be qualified
for certification as Associate Social Workers.

(c) No person appointed for a five-year term shall be eligible to
succeed himself more than once.

§ 54-775.8. (a) The Board shall annually elect a Chairman and
Vice Chairman from its membership. The administrative work of the
Board shall be performed by the Department of Professional and Occupa-
tional Registration and the Director of the Department shall act as Secre-
tary-Treasurer of the Board and keep a full and complete record of its
proceedings and of its accounts, which shall be open to public inspection
at all reasonable times.

(6) The Board shall adopt a seal for its use which shall remain in
the custody of the Secretary-Treasurer.

(c) Regular meetings of the Board shall be held at such times and
places as the Board may prescribe, and special meetings may be held upon
call of the Chairman and any two members. There shall be not less than
two regular meetings each year. Three members of the Board shall con-
stitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

(d) Each member of the Board shall receive as compensation for his
services the sum of fifteen dollars for each day actually spent in the per-
formance of his duties and shall be reimbursed his actual and necessary
expenses tncurred therein.

§ 54-7754. (a) Onand after July one, nineteen hundred sixty-seven,
the Board shall issue to each applicant who successfully passes an exam-
tnalton given as hereinafter provided and pays the necessary fee a cer-
ttficate etther as a Registered Social Worker or as an Associate Social
Worker. Such certificate, so long as the annual renewal fees thereon have
been paid, shall entitle the holder to use the title Registered Social Worker
and the letters R.S.W., or the title Associate Social Worker and the
letters A.S.W. in connection with his name.

(b) Every person to whom a certificate of registration has been issued
under this chapter shall display the same in a conspicuous place in his
principal office or place of employment.

§ 54-775.5. Applicants for registration and certification shall have
the following qualifications:

(a) Appltcanis for certification as Registered Social Workers must
have received at least a master’s degree in social work from a school of
social work accredited by the Council on Social Work Education and must
be employed in social work.

(b) Applicants for registration as Associate Social Workers must
have at least a bachelor’s degree from a recognized college or university
and have been employed in social work for at least two years.

§ 54-775.6. The Board shall make reasonable regulations for exam-
ming the qualifications of applicants for registration under § 54-775.5.

8 54-775.7. Any person after July one, nineteen hundred sixty-
seven submits his application to the Board on the prescribed form, pays
the necessary fee and furnishes evidence satisfactory to the Board that
he 13 twenty-one years of age, 1s of good moral character, is a resident
of this State, is employed as a social worker or was so employed for two
years out of the preceding five years, shall be registered by the Board and
certified as a Registered Social Worker. Any person in the armed forces
of the United States at the time of the effective date of this act, who was
employed as a social worker prior to entrance into the armed forces, who
makes application for registration within three months after separation
or release from the armed forces and who otherwise qualifies as set forth
in this section, shall be registered by the Board and certified as a Registers
Social Worker.

§ 54-775.8. (a) The following fees shall be collected by the Boa:
in connection with applications for registration and renewals: (1 ) Applic
tion fee for registration as a registered social worker or associate soct
worker, ten dollars; provided that applicants holding current registrati
with the Virginia Board for Voluntary Registration of Social Workers
the effective date of this act shall pay a registration fee of five dollar
(2) Annual fee for renewal of registration, five dollars, which shall be di
and payable each year on or before January one; (8) Any person who far
to pay the annual renewal fee on or before March one of any year shall :
addition to the renewal fee be charged a delinquency fee of five dollars.

(b) Any person who fails to renew his registration for a period |
more than three years shall be stricken from the rolls and his registratu
may be renewed only after meeting the requirements of this chapter.

(c) All funds collected by the Board shall be paid into the gener
fund of the State Treasury and are hereby appropriated to the Board fi
the purpose of administering and enforcing this chapter. The expenditur
of the Board shall not in any year exceed the amount of fees collected t
the Board for that year.

§ 54-775.9. (a) The Board may refuse to issue a certificate to, |
suspend or revoke the certificate of, any person who: (1) Has been co:
victed of a felony or misdemeanor tnvolving moral turpitude; (2) Us
intoxicating liquor or drugs to such an extent that in his activities as
social worker he is likely to endanger the health, welfare or safety \
the public; or

(6) The Board, prior to taking any action under the preceding par
graph of this section, shall afford a person against whom such action
contemplated a hearing under Chapter 1.1 of Title 9 of the Code and t]
provisions of that chapter as to the conduct of the hearing and judict
review shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to any such case.

(c) A person whose license has been revoked or suspended may, aft
six months, apply for a new certificate in the manner provided for ¢
original application. The Board may, tn tts discretion, exempt such appi
cant from taking an examination and issue a new certificate.