WeVote
Log In

Bill

VR

Bill

LB 84

Adopt the School Psychologist Interstate Licensure Compact

109th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Victor Rountree

Nebraska adopts the School Psychologist Interstate Licensure Compact (ICSP), creating a multistate licensure pathway to ease cross-state practice and boost access to services.

Approved by Governor on April 14, 2025
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · LB 84

Summary — LB 84: Adopt the School Psychologist Interstate Licensure Compact

Status: Approved by the Governor (April 14, 2025)
Introduced: January 10, 2025 — Sponsor: Sen. Victor Rountree
Final legislative vote (Final Reading): Passed 46–0–3 (April 10, 2025)

Main purpose

LB 84 adopts the School Psychologist Interstate Licensure Compact (ICSP) for Nebraska. The Compact creates a multistate licensure pathway to facilitate interstate practice of school psychology in educational/school settings, increase access to school psychological services, promote workforce mobility, and ease relocation for active military members and their spouses.

Key provisions and changes

  • Adoption: Nebraska enacts the ICSP (substantially as the model compact), and harmonizes state licensing law (amends section 38-3113, R.R.S. 2024).
  • Definitions: Establishes standard terms (home state, remote state, equivalent license, school psychological services, encumbered license, qualifying education/exam, etc.).
  • State membership requirements: To join and remain a Member State, Nebraska must enact substantially similar statutory language, participate in information sharing, maintain investigation and complaint mechanisms, notify the Commission of adverse actions, and require applicants to meet baseline education, supervised internship, and qualifying national exam standards.
  • Equivalent license: Member States shall grant an “equivalent license” to qualified school psychologists from other Member States; states may charge fees for issuance and renewals.
  • Licensee eligibility and maintenance: To obtain/maintain an equivalent license in a remote Member State, a licensee must hold an active, unencumbered home-state license; satisfy any state‑specific requirements; complete application/administrative steps; undergo criminal background checks; and meet renewal requirements (renewal simplified to application, background check, and fee).
  • Military mobility: Active military members and their spouses are afforded special treatment—being deemed to hold home-state licensure in their permanent residence, primary state of practice, and states where they relocate.
  • Discipline and information exchange: Member States retain full authority to investigate and discipline licensees. Compact requires timely sharing of investigative and disciplinary information among Member States, with confidentiality protections and prior notification before disclosure.
  • Compact Commission: Establishes the School Psychologist Interstate Licensure Compact Commission as a joint interstate agency:
    • One delegate per Member State (typically the primary administrative officer of the state licensing authority or designee).
    • Commission powers include rulemaking, budget/fee setting, recordkeeping, adopting bylaws, enforcement, legal actions, and creating an Executive Committee (Executive Committee described; at least 7 members referenced).
    • Meetings: Commission must meet at least once per calendar year; meetings are open to the public per the Compact.
  • Rulemaking, oversight, enforcement, withdrawal, amendment, severability and conflict provisions follow typical interstate-compact structure.

Who is affected

  • School psychologists licensed in Nebraska or other Member States (easier multistate practice and relocation).
  • Nebraska school districts and students — potentially increased access to school psychological services.
  • State licensing authority (Nebraska Department/Board overseeing school psychologist licensure) — new responsibilities for Commission participation, data sharing, and applying Compact rules.
  • Active-duty military members and spouses who are school psychologists — faster ability to work across member states.

Procedural/timeline notes

  • Committee hearing (Health & Human Services): January 30, 2025; advanced to General File.
  • Placed on Final Reading and passed Final Reading (46–0–3) April 10, 2025; presented to and signed by the Governor April 14, 2025.
  • The law implements the ICSP in Nebraska as written in the enacted bill; Commission will come into existence once multiple states enact the Compact and admit to the Commission per Compact rules.

Expected impact

  • Reduces duplicative licensure hurdles and may alleviate school psychologist shortages by improving interstate mobility.
  • Preserves state regulatory authority over discipline and scope of practice while creating a coordinated multistate licensure mechanism and shared information systems (including background checks).

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

Sign in to ask a question.