Pa. Senate Committee Advances Bill to Enhance Interstate Healthcare Licensing

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Legislation aimed at easing the pathway for Pennsylvania's full participation in an interstate agreement allowing nurses to practice in other states cleared a significant hurdle on Tuesday. The state Senate's Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee unanimously approved House Bill 2381, moving it to the full Senate for consideration.

House Bill 2381, sponsored by Rep. Brandon Markosek (D-Allegheny), seeks to empower state licensure boards to create temporary regulations necessary for implementing interstate compacts. These compacts would recognize the licenses of healthcare professionals, including nurses, from other states. The bill had previously passed the state House with a decisive 177-25 vote in June.

Markosek emphasized the bill’s importance in providing flexibility for healthcare workers, particularly those in military families. "This legislation will allow nurses and other healthcare professionals to find work where and when they need it," he stated. The temporary regulations established under this bill would have a three-year expiration period after being implemented.

In addition to House Bill 2381, a related bill sponsored by state Sen. Lisa Boscola (D-Northampton) addresses challenges with criminal background checks for Pennsylvania nurses seeking to work in other states. Boscola’s bill, which passed the Senate in June with a 46-4 vote, is currently awaiting final approval in the House.

The legislative push comes as Pennsylvania seeks to fully implement the Nurse Licensure Compact, which has allowed nurses from neighboring states—except New York—to work in Pennsylvania with a multistate license since 2023. However, a communication breakdown between the Pennsylvania Department of State and the FBI has prevented full reciprocity, affecting not only nurses but also physicians under a similar agreement authorized in 2016.

Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt addressed this ongoing issue earlier this year, noting that the impasse has left the state’s participation in the compact incomplete.

With the Senate scheduled to return to session on September 23, and voting set to resume on October 1, these bills could soon bring much-needed relief to Pennsylvania's healthcare system by enabling broader interstate practice for healthcare professionals.