Bill
HB 1124
Allows school psychologists to practice across member states with an Equivalent License, boosting mobility and access to services.
Date: Filed April 29, 2026
Jurisdiction: North Carolina
Sponsor: Representative Pickett (with several co-sponsors)
Purpose of the Bill
- Adopt the Interstate Compact for School Psychologists (the Compact) to facilitate the interstate practice of school psychology in educational settings.
- Provide funding for a virtual School Psychology training program at East Carolina University (ECU).
Key Provisions
Part I. Interstate Compact for School Psychologists
- Enacts Article 17F (School Psychologist Interstate Licensure Compact) into Chapter 115C (Education) of the General Statutes.
- Purpose of the Compact:
- Create a streamlined pathway for School Psychologists to obtain an equivalent license to practice in any Member State.
- Improve availability of School Psychological Services by expanding mobility and cross-state practice while ensuring safety and qualification standards.
- Definitions and Core Concepts:
- Establishes terms such as Home State, Remote State, Equivalent License, Practice of School Psychology, Licensed Authority, and other standardized Compact terminology.
- Defines qualifications for licensure, continuing education, background checks, and professional standards.
- State Participation Requirements:
- States must enact substantially similar Compact statutes, share information, maintain lists of Equivalent Licenses, handle complaints, report adverse actions, and require certain licensure prerequisites (e.g., national exam, supervised internship hours, education program).
- Each Member State must grant an Equivalent License to eligible Licensees and renew such licenses if criteria are met.
- States may set and collect fees for granting Equivalent Licenses.
- Licensee Requirements Under the Compact:
- To obtain and maintain an Equivalent License in a Remote State, a Licensee must:
- Hold an active Home State License.
- Meet any State-Specific requirements and administrative steps.
- Complete renewal requirements in the Home State (including continuing education).
- Undergo a criminal background check in the Remote State when applying for an Equivalent License.
- Renewal of an Equivalent License in a Remote State requires renewal steps, background checks, and fees as determined by the licensing authority.
- Military Provisions:
- Active military members and spouses are treated as having a Home State License in designated locations to facilitate relocation.
- Discipline and Adverse Actions:
- Member States retain authority to discipline Licensees under their laws.
- States must share disciplinary and investigative information with other Member States, with protections for confidentiality.
- Compact Commission and Governance:
- Establishes the School Psychologist Interstate Licensure Compact Commission (a joint government agency) with representation from Member States.
- Commission powers include rulemaking, budget, information sharing, licensing changes (e.g., change of Home State), audits, and enforcement.
- An Executive Committee (up to seven members) handles day-to-day administration and can propose rule changes, budgets, and compliance reports.
- Meetings must be open to the public, with allowances for closed sessions for certain confidential matters.
- Financing and Immunity:
- The Commission can assess annual fees on Member States and on Licensees to fund operations.
- Members, officers, and staff have qualified immunity and defense/indemnification protections when acting within scope, with exceptions for intentional misconduct.
- Information Exchange:
- Facilitates exchange of licensure data, adverse actions, background checks, and other information to administer the Compact, while preserving ownership and protection of Licensee information by each state.
- Rulemaking:
- Commission can adopt Rules and amendments; member states may reject Rules within four years, nullifying that Rule in all states if rejected by a majority.
- Rulemaking notice requirements and emergency Rule provisions are included.
- Oversight, Dispute Resolution, and Enforcement:
- Defines oversight by Member State authorities and the Commission.
- Establishes dispute resolution processes, mediation, and potential legal action in federal courts to enforce compliance.
- Effective Date and Withdrawal:
- The Compact takes effect when enacted into law by the seventh Member State.
- Provisions for withdrawal, defaults, termination, and continuation of licenses for a period post-termination (minimum 6 months recognition of licenses after withdrawal notice).
- Amendments require passage by all Member States.
- Construction and Consistency:
- Compact is liberally construed to achieve its purposes and is severable; conflicts with state law are superseded to the extent of the conflict.
- NC-Specific Implications:
- Section 1.(b) adds a subdivision to G.S. 115C-12 requiring the State Board of Education to fulfill duties of the State Licensing Authority for Article 17F.
Part II. Appropriation for ECU Virtual School Psychology Training Program
- Section 2: Appropriates $1,000,000 in nonrecurring funds for the 2026-2027 fiscal year to East Carolina University (ECU) to host a virtual School Psychology training program on the ECU campus in Greenville, NC.
- Funds do not revert and remain available until June 30, 2029.
Part III. Effective Date
- Section 3: The act becomes effective July 1, 2026.
Who Is Affected
- North Carolina State Licensing Authority and the State Board of Education (as the licensing authority for Article 17F).
- North Carolina educators and School Psychologists seeking licensure or licensure mobility across states.
- School districts and educational agencies in NC that employ or work with School Psychologists.
- ECU, which would receive funding for a virtual training program.
- Military members and spouses relocating under PCS provisions.
Timeline and Procedural Notes
- The Compact becomes effective once North Carolina (or another state) enacts substantially similar legislation and at least seven states have enacted it.
- The Commission would establish rules, operating procedures, funding mechanisms, and enforcement processes, subject to the approval and potential rejection by member states.
- The NC General Assembly bill itself becomes law on July 1, 2026,, with the ECU funding provision active through 2029 unless extended or revised.
Overall Impact
- Creates a voluntary framework for recognizing and transferring School Psychologist licenses across Member States, addressing workforce shortages and increasing access to services.
- Establishes a centralized Commission to oversee implementation, quality control, and enforcement, with governance, financing, and privacy safeguards.
- Supports NC’s capacity to train and deploy School Psychologists via a new ECU virtual program and potentially enhances cross-state service delivery for students.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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