Summary — SB 2341 (Interstate Compact for School Psychologists)
Status: Introduced March 12, 2025; read first time March 25, 2025; referred to committee; second reading — failed to pass (yeas 16, nays 74) on April 4, 2025.
Sponsors (per bill text): Senators Axtman, Boschee, Roers; Representatives Ista, Schreiber‑Beck. Companion: HB 4944.
Note on source: the materials provided included unrelated legislative language from an Illinois bill. This summary focuses exclusively on the North Dakota SB 2341 text that would create a new chapter in Title 15.1 (the School Psychologists interstate licensure compact).
Purpose and intent
- SB 2341 would adopt the “Interstate Compact for School Psychologists” into North Dakota law.
- The compact’s stated purpose is to facilitate interstate practice of school psychology in educational settings, improve availability of school psychological services, promote workforce mobility, and provide a streamlined pathway for school psychologists licensed in one member state to obtain equivalent licensure in other member states.
Key provisions and structure (as included in the bill text)
- Enactment: Creates a new chapter in Title 15.1 of the North Dakota Century Code adopting the compact in substantially the model form.
- Core objectives (Article I):
- Enable qualified school psychologists to obtain equivalent licenses across member states without duplicative requirements.
- Promote mobility to address workforce shortages (including military families).
- Require licensees to follow the scope-of-practice and laws of the state where services are delivered.
- Preserve each member state’s authority to protect public health and safety.
- Definitions (Article II): The bill defines key terms used throughout the compact, including “home state,” “remote state,” “equivalent license,” “commission,” “licensee,” “school psychological services,” “qualifying national examination,” “qualifying education program,” “adverse action,” “alternative program,” and “criminal background check.” Notably, “home state license” must be an unencumbered license; doctoral- or specialist‑level education and qualifying exams/programs are referenced.
- Institutional framework (model compact elements present or implied): Establishes a “school psychologist interstate licensure compact commission” (a multi‑state administrative body), appoints state commissioners, contemplates rulemaking authority, and provides for data sharing, background checks, adverse action reporting, and other typical interstate‑compact governance mechanisms (full compact text — including commission structure, funding, rulemaking, enforcement, and dispute resolution — is in the model but truncated in the provided excerpt).
Who would be affected
- School psychologists licensed in North Dakota and other member states (increased mobility/opportunity for cross‑state practice).
- State licensing authority for school psychologists (new duties for compact participation, data exchange, discipline reporting).
- School districts, students, and families (potentially greater access to school psychological services).
- Military members and spouses who are school psychologists (expedited portability provisions are explicitly included).
Procedural and timeline notes
- The bill was introduced March 12, 2025, had committee activity and hearings in March, and failed at second reading on April 4, 2025 (yea 16 / nay 74). Because the bill did not pass, North Dakota did not adopt the compact under this measure.
Potential impact and considerations
- If enacted, the compact would likely reduce administrative/licensure barriers for qualified practitioners moving between member states and help address shortages in school psychological services.
- Participation typically creates modest administrative costs (state commission dues, IT/reporting obligations) and requires the state licensing board to transmit and receive licensure and disciplinary data.
- Member states retain disciplinary authority and require licensees to follow the laws and scope of practice where services are provided—so portability is not absolute and encumbered licenses or adverse actions may restrict practice.
For the full regulatory and operational details (commission powers, rulemaking, funding, timeline for implementation and standards for an “equivalent license”), review the compact’s complete text as adopted by other states or the compact commission’s model rules.
