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Bill Summary · SSB 1052

Summary: SSB 1052 (renumbered SF 312) — Physician Assistant Licensure Compact

Overview

SSB 1052 proposes enacting the Physician Assistant Licensure Compact. The compact would create a multistate framework allowing a physician assistant (PA) licensed in one participating state to practice in another participating state under a compact privilege, without needing to obtain a full license in that state. The bill imposes minimum licensure requirements for PAs across participating states and establishes a centralized commission to administer the compact.

Key Provisions

  • Compact purpose and framework

    • Establishes a PA licensure compact enabling cross-state practice via a compact privilege rather than separate licenses in each state.
    • Sets minimum licensure requirements for PAs in participating states.

  • Compact Commission

    • Creates a commission that administers the compact; described as an instrumentality of participating states.
    • Defines structure and governance, including membership, powers, meetings, voting, bylaws, committees, and finances.
    • Establishes a data system to share licensure information among states.

  • State compliance and authority

    • Requires participating states to comply with the compact’s provisions and maintain consistent licensure standards.
    • Addresses enforcement, dispute resolution, and the defense/indemnification framework for participating states and practitioners.

  • Legal and regulatory provisions

    • Notes venue for judicial proceedings related to compact administration and disputes.
    • Includes sections on effective dates, amendments, withdrawal, default, expulsion, severability, construction, and the binding effect of the compact alongside other state laws.

  • Effective date

    • The compact becomes effective upon the adoption of the compact by the seventh participating state.

Who Is Affected

  • Physician assistants: Benefit from simplified cross-state practice opportunities and a standardized baseline of licensure requirements.
  • State licensing boards and health regulators: Coordinate under the compact to regulate and share licensure information.
  • Healthcare employers and patients: Potentially experience greater mobility of PAs and improved access to care across state lines.

Implementation and Timeline

  • Introduced: January 28, 2025; referred to Health and Human Services.
  • Subcommittee: January 28, 2025; meeting held February 5, 2025; subcommittee recommended passage.
  • Committee action: February 12, 2025, committee report approving the bill and renumbering it as SF 312.
  • The bill’s effectiveness hinges on adoption by seven participating states.

Additional Notes

  • The content provided focuses on core structural elements: creation of the compact and commission, cross-state practice via compact privilege, minimum licensure standards, governance and data-sharing mechanisms, and the staged effective date contingent on multi-state participation. No specific funding amounts or fee schedules are stated in the summary provided.

Dates to Watch

  • The bill’s progress through the legislature (as of the latest action): committee report approved; renumbered as SF 312.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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