HB 1961 — An Act authorizing the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to join the PA Licensure Compact; providing for the form of the compact; and imposing additional powers and duties on the Governor, the Secretary of the Commonwealth and the PA Licensure Compact.

PRIOR PRINTER'S NO.

2470 PRINTER'STHE NO.GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE BILL Session of No.

25511961 THE2025 GENERALINTRODUCED ASSEMBLYBY OFMERSKI, PENNSYLVANIABURNS, HOUSEHILL-EVANS, BILLHARKINS, SessionKENYATTA, FRANKEL, HOHENSTEIN, SANCHEZ, SHUSTERMAN AND CURRY, OCTOBER 17, 2025 REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE, OCTOBER 17, 2025 AN ACT Authorizing the Commonwealth of No.Pennsylvania to join the PA Licensure Compact;

1961 2025 INTRODUCED BY MERSKI, BURNS, HILL-EVANS, HARKINS, KENYATTA, FRANKEL, HOHENSTEIN, SANCHEZ, SHUSTERMAN, CURRY, CEPEDA- FREYTIZ, SAMUELSON, RIVERA AND K.

HARRIS, OCTOBER 17, 2025 AS AMENDED ON SECOND CONSIDERATION, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, OCTOBER 29, 2025 AN ACT Authorizing the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to join the PA Licensure Compact;

"Adverse Action" means any administrative, civil, equitable, or criminal action permitted by a State's laws which is imposed by a Licensing Board or other authority against a PA License or License application or Compact Privilege such as License denial, censure, revocation, suspension, probation, monitoring of the Licensee, or restriction on the Licensee's 20250HB1961PN255120250HB1961PN2470 - 2 - practice.

"Jurisprudence Requirement" means the assessment of an 20250HB1961PN255120250HB1961PN2470 - 3 - individual's knowledge of the laws and Rules governing the practice of a PA in a State.

"Qualifying License" means an unrestricted License issued 20250HB1961PN255120250HB1961PN2470 - 4 - by a Participating State to provide Medical Services as a PA.

Fully implement a Criminal Background Check requirement, within a time frame established by Commission Rule, by its Licensing Board receiving the results of a 20250HB1961PN255120250HB1961PN2470 - 5 - Criminal Background Check and reporting to the Commission whether the License applicant has been granted a License.

If a Licensee has had a limitation or restriction on a License or Compact Privilege due to an Adverse Action, two years must have elapsed from the date on which the License or Compact Privilege is no longer limited or restricted due to 20250HB1961PN255120250HB1961PN2470 - 6 - the Adverse Action.

Two (2) years have elapsed from the date on which the License is no longer limited or restricted due to the Adverse 20250HB1961PN255120250HB1961PN2470 - 7 - Action.

Adverse Actions 20250HB1961PN255120250HB1961PN2470 - 8 - A.

Nothing in this Compact authorizes a Participating 20250HB1961PN255120250HB1961PN2470 - 9 - State to impose discipline against a PA's Compact Privilege or to deny an application for a Compact Privilege in that Participating State for the individual's otherwise lawful practice in another State.

If an Adverse Action is taken against a PA's Qualifying 20250HB1961PN255120250HB1961PN2470 - 10 - License, the PA's Compact Privilege in all Remote States shall be deactivated until two (2) years have elapsed after all restrictions have been removed from the State License.

Any delegate may be removed or suspended from office as provided by the laws of the State from which the delegate 20250HB1961PN255120250HB1961PN2470 - 11 - is appointed.

The Rules shall have the force and effect of law and shall be binding 20250HB1961PN255120250HB1961PN2470 - 12 - in all Participating States;

20250HB1961PN255120250HB1961PN2470 - 13 - 17.

Notwithstanding subsection D.1 of this section, the 20250HB1961PN255120250HB1961PN2470 - 14 - Commission may convene a public meeting by providing at least twenty-four (24) hours prior notice on the Commission's website, and any other means as provided in the Commission's Rules, for any of the reasons it may dispense with notice of proposed rulemaking under Section 9.L.

Disclosure of information related to any investigative reports prepared by or on behalf of or for use of the Commission or other committee charged with 20250HB1961PN255120250HB1961PN2470 - 15 - responsibility of investigation or determination of compliance issues pursuant to this Compact;

The Commission may levy on and collect an annual assessment from each Participating State and may impose Compact Privilege fees on Licensees of Participating States to whom a Compact Privilege is granted to cover the cost of 20250HB1961PN255120250HB1961PN2470 - 16 - the operations and activities of the Commission and its staff, which must be in a total amount sufficient to cover its annual budget as approved by the Commission each year for which revenue is not provided by other sources.

All receipts and disbursements of funds handled by the Commission shall be subject to an annual financial review by a certified 20250HB1961PN255120250HB1961PN2470 - 17 - or licensed public accountant, and the report of the financial review shall be included in and become part of the annual report of the Commission.

20250HB1961PN255120250HB1961PN2470 - 18 - d.

The members, officers, executive director, employees and representatives of the Commission shall be immune from suit and liability, both personally and in their official capacity, for any claim for damage to or loss of property or 20250HB1961PN255120250HB1961PN2470 - 19 - personal injury or other civil liability caused by or arising out of any actual or alleged act, error, or omission that occurred, or that the person against whom the claim is made had a reasonable basis for believing occurred within the scope of Commission employment, duties or responsibilities;

The Commission shall indemnify and hold harmless any member, officer, executive director, employee, and representative of the Commission for the amount of any settlement or judgment obtained against that person arising 20250HB1961PN255120250HB1961PN2470 - 20 - out of any actual or alleged act, error, or omission that occurred within the scope of Commission employment, duties, or responsibilities, or that such person had a reasonable basis for believing occurred within the scope of Commission employment, duties, or responsibilities, provided that the actual or alleged act, error, or omission did not result from the intentional or willful or wanton misconduct of that person.

20250HB1961PN255120250HB1961PN2470 - 21 - 8.

20250HB1961PN255120250HB1961PN2470 - 22 - D.

The Commission shall promulgate reasonable Rules in order to effectively and efficiently implement and administer this 20250HB1961PN255120250HB1961PN2470 - 23 - Compact and achieve its purposes.

To persons who have requested notice of the 20250HB1961PN255120250HB1961PN2470 - 24 - Commission's notices of proposed rulemaking, and 3.

20250HB1961PN255120250HB1961PN2470 - 25 - 3.

Upon determination that an emergency exists, the Commission may consider and adopt an emergency Rule with twenty- 20250HB1961PN255120250HB1961PN2470 - 26 - four (24) hours prior notice, without the opportunity for comment, or hearing, provided that the usual rulemaking procedures provided in this Compact and in this section shall be retroactively applied to the Rule as soon as reasonably possible, in no event later than ninety (90) days after the effective date of the Rule.

No Participating State's rulemaking requirements shall 20250HB1961PN255120250HB1961PN2470 - 27 - apply under this Compact.

The notice shall 20250HB1961PN255120250HB1961PN2470 - 28 - describe the default, the proposed means of curing the default and any other action that the Commission may take and shall offer remedial training and specific technical assistance regarding the default.

20250HB1961PN255120250HB1961PN2470 - 29 - District Court for the District of Columbia or the federal district where the Commission has its principal offices.

The Commission, in the reasonable exercise of its discretion, shall enforce the provisions of this Compact and 20250HB1961PN255120250HB1961PN2470 - 30 - Rules of the Commission.

Date of Implementation of the PA Licensure Compact Commission 20250HB1961PN255120250HB1961PN2470 - 31 - A.

20250HB1961PN255120250HB1961PN2470 - 32 - 3.

Withdrawal shall not affect the continuing requirement of the State Licensing Board(s) of the withdrawing State to comply with the investigative, and Adverse Action reporting requirements of this Compact prior 20250HB1961PN255120250HB1961PN2470 - 33 - to the effective date of withdrawal.

The provisions of this Compact shall be severable and if any phrase, clause, sentence or provision of this Compact is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be contrary to the constitution of any Participating State, a State seeking participation in the Compact, or of the United States, or the 20250HB1961PN255120250HB1961PN2470 - 34 - applicability thereof to any government, agency, person or circumstance is held to be unconstitutional by a court of competent jurisdiction, the validity of the remainder of this Compact and the applicability thereof to any other government, agency, person or circumstance shall not be affected thereby.

(a) Conditions.--When the Governor executes the PA Licensure Compact on behalf of this State and files a verified copy thereof with the Secretary of the Commonwealth and when the compact comes into effect in accordance with section 11 of the 20250HB1961PN255120250HB1961PN2470 - 35 - compact, the compact shall become operative and effective between this State and the other participating states.

This act shall take effect in 60 daysdays. ONE YEAR.