A.(1) The board shall have authority to establish and promulgate continuing education requirements which are to be fulfilled prior to the renewal of any license, certificate, or registration issued under this Chapter.

            (2) Twenty clock hours of continuing education in programs approved by the board shall be obtained prior to each renewal date, including three hours of ethics every two years. In addition, for renewal of a licensed clinical social work license, no less than ten clock hours of the continuing education requirement shall be clinical content including diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. Failure to fulfill these requirements shall cause the license, certificate, or registration to lapse, and any application for renewal will be declined until the continuing education requirements have been met.

            (3) Documentation in a form acceptable to the board, demonstrating compliance with the continuing education requirements, shall accompany the application for the renewal of the license, certificate, or registration.

            B. In addition to the continuing education requirements set out in Subsection A of this Section, each license, certificate, provisional certificate, or registration issued under the provisions of this Chapter shall be renewed annually except as otherwise provided. On or before July first of each year, the board shall send notice for renewal of a license, certificate, or registration to each person to whom a license, certificate, or registration was issued or renewed during the current year. Such person shall complete the renewal application and pay the renewal fee as is required by the board before August thirty-first of the year in which the notice was received. Upon receipt of any application and fee, the board shall verify the accuracy of the application and update the license, certificate, or registration for the current year, beginning September first and expiring August thirty-first.

            C. If any person fails to renew his or her license, certificate, or registration by August thirty-first, such license, certificate, or registration shall lapse. Any application for renewal shall be declined until the continuing education requirements have been met. If a social worker fails to renew by August thirty-first of each year, at the licensed, certified, or registered level, he shall not practice social work. Renewal of a license, certificate, or registration which has lapsed for six months or less may be effected upon submission to the board of a renewal application accompanied by a fee which shall be twice the amount of the normal renewal fee specified by the board. If a license, certificate, or registration is allowed to lapse for six months or longer, the applicant for the license, certificate, or registration shall be considered a new applicant subject to appropriate provisions of this Chapter including the reinstatement provisions of this Section.

            D. If any license, certificate, or registration is lapsed for at least six months but not more than sixty months, the applicant for the license, certificate, or registration shall submit proof of completion of twenty hours of approved social work continuing education and pass the board exam on the Louisiana Social Work Practice Act and rules, standards, and procedures prior to reinstatement. Continuing education requirements for LCSW applicants shall include at least ten hours of clinical content and three hours of ethics training. Continuing education requirements for LMSW and RSW applicants shall include at least three hours of ethics training.

            E. If any license, certificate, or registration is lapsed for more than sixty months, the applicant for license, certificate, or registration shall submit proof of completion of forty hours of approved social work continuing education and pass the board exam on the Louisiana Social Work Practice Act and the rules, standards, and procedures prior to reinstatement. Continuing education requirements for LCSW applicants shall include at least twenty hours of clinical content and three hours of ethics training. Continuing education requirements for LMSW and RSW applicants shall include at least three hours of ethics training.

            F. The board shall have the authority to grant continuing education waivers for declared emergencies. In response to a disaster or emergency declared by the governor of the state of Louisiana, continuing education units required for renewal of a license may be waived by the board.

            G. The board shall have the authority to grant continuing education extensions for extenuating circumstances. In response to an extenuating circumstance, the time frame mandated to complete continuing education units required for renewal of a license may be extended by the board.

            Acts 1990, No. 785, §1; Acts 1999, No. 1309, §7, eff. Jan. 1, 2000; Acts 2010, No. 880, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2011; Acts 2021, No. 215, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2022.