What it is

Bill to make biologists and social workers health professions

Amendments step 3 of 7 · Unfinished

It is a members’ bill. Introduced by parliamentary groups, the Senate, regional governments or citizens. It was introduced on 14 July 2026. Introduced by: Grupo Parlamentario Socialista.

Official title: Private member's bill on the recognition of the professions of biologist and social worker as health professions.

Follow this law

Source: Congreso de los Diputados, file 122/000297· updated 11 Nov

Automatic summary, not yet reviewed

The bill would recognize Biology as a regulated health profession with an official degree when practiced in the health field. It covers clinical laboratory work, genetic diagnosis, and assisted human reproduction.
Biologists working in the National Health System or private centers would need a specialist degree in Health Sciences. A royal decree could allow biologists without that degree to perform certain activities.
The bill would recognize Social Work as a regulated health profession in the health field. Its functions would include social health assessment, social diagnosis, and health-social care coordination, with requirements to be set by royal decree.
Law 44/2003 would be amended so the Ministry of Health manages the professional registries, including the one for specialists. The law would take effect the day after its publication in the Official State Gazette.

Who it affects

Biologists working in the health field: They would be recognized as a health profession and would generally need a specialist degree in Health Sciences.
Social workers in the health field: They would be recognized as a health profession, with minimum requirements to be set by royal decree.
Other health professionals: The recognition would not affect their current competencies and keeps multiprofessional teamwork in place.

Words worth knowing

Proposición de ley: A bill introduced by parliamentary groups. It is not a law until it is passed.
Ley 44/2003: The Spanish law that organizes health professions and defines which they are.
Formación sanitaria especializada: The practical training system that grants the specialist degree in Health Sciences.
Real decreto: A royal decree, a rule issued by the Government to develop or carry out a law.

It summarizes the text as it was introduced. It is written by artificial intelligence and may contain mistakes: the official text is what counts. Read the official text · How we make summaries

Where it stands

How far did it get?

It took 3 of 7 steps. It reached Amendments, and today it is unfinished.

Introduced14 July 2026Someone registers the text in the Congreso.
Admitted23 July 2026The Bureau of the Congreso accepts it and, for a members’ bill, the plenary decides whether to consider it.
Amendments18 September 2026Groups propose changes.
Committeenot reachedA committee goes through the text in detail.
Plenarynot reachedAll 350 deputies vote.
Senatenot reachedThe Senate can pass it, amend it or veto it.
BOEnot reachedIt is published in the Official State Gazette (BOE) and comes into force.

See the 9 official steps on a timeline

10 September 2026

How did the plenary vote?

More votes in favour 165 yes · 32 no · 148 abst.

Voted on: Private member's bill by the Socialist Parliamentary Group, on the recognition of the professions of biologist and social worker as health professions.

Source: Congreso de los Diputados, vote 16 of sitting 196· updated 10 Nov

Each dot is a seat. Tap one, or use the arrow keys, to see who it is.

Your province

How did the deputies from your province vote?

And your senators: the Senate does not link its votes to this law in its open data, so we cannot put them side by side here.

Or see how most of each province voted

More details: how each group and each province voted

The groups

Who voted in favour and who against?

In favour, most of Euskal Herria Bildu, Plurinacional SUMAR, Republicano, Socialista and Mixto. Against, most of VOX. 1 deputy voted differently from their group.

By province: in 15 most voted in favour; in 0, against.

Coloured by how most of each province’s deputies voted.

In favour: 15
Against: 0
Abstained: 17
Tie: 20

Result by parliamentary group
Group	Seats	How it voted
Euskal Herria Bildu	6	6 in favour
Plurinacional SUMAR	26	26 in favour
Republicano	7	6 in favour · 1 did not vote
Socialista	121	119 in favour · 2 did not vote
Vasco (EAJ-PNV)	5	5 abst.
Junts per Catalunya	7	7 abst.
Mixto	9	8 in favour · 1 against
Popular en el Congreso	137	136 abst. · 1 did not vote
VOX	32	31 against · 1 did not vote

What happens next

What happens now?

The legislature ended before it finished. To go on, someone would have to introduce it again in the new Cortes.

It has not been presented again yet.

Sources

Where does all this come from?

Congreso de los Diputados, file 122/000297
Official title, type, author, dates and stage.

Retrieved 11 November 2026
Congreso de los Diputados, procedure
The date of each step, with its official wording.

Retrieved 13 November 2026
Congreso de los Diputados, vote 16 of sitting 196
The count and every seat’s vote.

Retrieved 10 November 2026

The data comes from the open files of the Congreso, the Senate and the BOE, unaltered.
Each deputy’s province is the one of their seat on the day of the vote.
We only say “passed” or “rejected” when the majority needed is certain; otherwise we say which side had more votes.

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