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Read. Follow. Verify.South Dakota House Bill 1145 Establishes Exam Alternative for Private Practice Social Workers
Last action · January 28, 2026: Withdrawn at the Request of the Prime SponsorSponsor: Taylor Rehfeldt
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What This Bill Proposed
South Dakota House Bill 1145 creates an alternative path to licensure for certified social workers in private, independent practice who have failed the board examination on or after January 1, 2021, by allowing them to substitute three thousand hours of professional experience. The measure also restricts individuals licensed through this exam alternative from participating in the and sets an effective date of January 1, 2027.
Social workers seeking private, independent practice in South Dakota gain an alternative route to licensure without passing the board exam, provided they complete specified supervised hours, though they forfeit eligibility for interstate compact participation.
- House Bill 1145 was introduced in the 2026 South Dakota legislative session by Representative Rehfeldt and was subsequently withdrawn. context
Who It Would Have Affected
Groups the bill's text would have affected, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Certified social workers
Social workers seeking private, independent practice face new qualification criteria and alternative experience pathways for licensure.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the alternative to passing the licensure examination for private practice social workers?
Does choosing the exam alternative affect participation in the Social Work Licensure Compact?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
This bill did not become law - Withdrawn.
Procedural history
2 actions- Jan 28, 2026HouseWithdrawn at the Request of the Prime Sponsor
- Jan 27, 2026HouseIntroducedFirst Reading House
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Connected Entities
Sources
sdlegislature.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance20Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 40)
- Controversy10Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz15Current news / social attention level
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