Oklahoma § 59-1289 - Remote State authority

§ 59-1289. Remote State authority

A. In addition to the other powers conferred by State law, a

Remote State shall have the authority, in accordance with existing

State due process law, to:

1. Take Adverse Action against a Regulated Social Worker’s

Multistate Authorization to Practice only within that Member State,

and issue subpoenas for both hearings and investigations that

require the attendance and testimony of witnesses as well as the

production of evidence. Subpoenas issued by a Licensing Authority

in a Member State for the attendance and testimony of witnesses or

the production of evidence from another Member State shall be

enforced in the latter State by any court of competent jurisdiction,

according to the practice and procedure of that court applicable to

subpoenas issued in proceedings pending before it. The issuing

Licensing Authority shall pay any witness fees, travel expenses,

mileage, and other fees required by the service statutes of the

State in which the witnesses or evidence are located;

2. Only the Home State shall have the power to take Adverse

Action against a Regulated Social Worker’s Multistate License.

B. For purposes of taking Adverse Action, the Home State shall

give the same priority and effect to reported conduct received from

a Member State as it would if the conduct had occurred within the

Home State. In so doing, the Home State shall apply its own State

laws to determine appropriate action.

C. The Home State shall complete any pending investigations of

a Regulated Social Worker who changes their Home State during the

course of the investigations. The Home State shall also have the

authority to take appropriate action(s) and shall promptly report

the conclusions of the investigations to the administrator of the

Data System. The administrator of the Data System shall promptly

notify the new Home State of any Adverse Actions.

D. A Member State, if otherwise permitted by State law, may

recover from the affected Regulated Social Worker the costs of

investigations and dispositions of cases resulting from any Adverse

Action taken against that Regulated Social Worker.

E. A Member State may take Adverse Action based on the factual

findings of another Member State, provided that the Member State

follows its own procedures for taking the Adverse Action.

F. Joint Investigations:

1. In addition to the authority granted to a Member State by

its respective Social Work practice act or other applicable State

law, any Member State may participate with other Member States in

joint investigations of Licensees.

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 59. Professions and Occupations

2. Member States shall share any investigative, litigation, or

compliance materials in furtherance of any joint or individual

investigation initiated under the Compact.

G. If Adverse Action is taken by the Home State against the

Multistate License of a Regulated Social Worker, the Regulated

Social Worker’s Multistate Authorization to Practice in all other

Member States shall be deactivated until all Encumbrances have been

removed from the Multistate License. All Home State disciplinary

orders that impose Adverse Action against the license of a Regulated

Social Worker shall include a statement that the Regulated Social

Worker’s Multistate Authorization to Practice is deactivated in all

Member States until all conditions of the decision, order or

agreement are satisfied.

H. If a Member State takes Adverse Action, it shall promptly

notify the administrator of the Data System. The administrator of

the Data System shall promptly notify the Home State and all other

Member State’s of any Adverse Actions by Remote States.

I. Nothing in this Compact shall override a Member State’s

decision that participation in an Alternative Program may be used in

lieu of Adverse Action.

J. Nothing in this Compact shall authorize a Member State to

demand the issuance of subpoenas for attendance and testimony of

witnesses or the production of evidence from another Member State

for lawful actions within that Member State.

K. Nothing in this Compact shall authorize a Member State to

impose discipline against a Regulated Social Worker who holds a

Multistate Authorization to Practice for lawful actions within

another Member State.

Added by Laws 2025, c. 121, § 9, eff. Nov. 1, 2025.