Bill to allow medical practice across state lines sent to Gov. Shapiro

HARRISBURG, Pa. (WTAJ) — In an effort to address healthcare worker shortages, Rep. Frank Burns created legislation that would allow interstate licensing compacts to become operational.

That bill, H.B. 2200, was sent to the Governor Shapiro on Wednesday, July 3. The legislation would require applicants in healthcare professions to submit fingerprints as part of their criminal history records check. It also lays out a process that Pennsylvania State Police and state licensing boards must follow in considering them.

This change in law facilitates Pennsylvania’s entry into interstate compacts, which allow a licensee to practice in other participating states with just one license. Previous efforts to implement the compacts were unsuccessful without this fingerprinting process in place.

“Anyone who has waited hours or even days in an emergency room or had trouble finding a professional that is taking new patients will welcome this legislation,” Burns, chairman of the House Professional Licensure Committee said. “This represents months of negotiation between the state and federal government. As a result, it will make Pennsylvania’s interstate compacts operational, which help health systems to have more flexibility in hiring and for health practitioners from out-of-state to find jobs in Pennsylvania.”

Here’s what would happen under the bill:

• Those applying for an initial license, certificate, registration or permit, or an interstate compact license, in a healthcare field must submit a full set of fingerprints to the Pennsylvania State Police for a background check.
• Then, state police would send the fingerprints to the FBI for identity verification and a national criminal history check.

This would apply to the following fields:

• Chiropractors
• Dentists
• Speech language pathologists and audiologists
• Acupuncturists
• Naturopathics
• Nurses
• Occupational therapy
• Optometrists
• Osteopathic doctors
• Pharmacists
• Physical therapists
• Podiatrists
• Psychologists
• Social workers
• Marriage and family therapists and counselors

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Licensees who currently hold a Pennsylvania license would not need to submit fingerprints for a criminal history check for renewal of their Pennsylvania license.

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