Pennsylvania would authorize four health-profession license compacts

The Governor may execute the audiology and speech-language and social work compacts for Pennsylvania. The compacts cover licensed audiologists, speech-language pathologists and regulated social workers seeking to practice in other participating states, including through telehealth where allowed. Audiology and speech-language applicants generally must hold an active, unencumbered home-state license, meet education and examination requirements, pay applicable fees and follow the law where the client is located. Social workers must hold or qualify for an active, unrestricted home-state license, pass required national or equivalent competency standards, meet education and practice requirements for their license category, submit background-check information and pay applicable fees. Professionals practicing in another participating state remain subject to that state's practice rules and regulatory authority. Each compact becomes operative between Pennsylvania and another state after the Governor executes it, files a verified copy with the Secretary of the Commonwealth and the required other state or states ratify it.

The Governor may execute the dentist and dental hygienist and physician assistant compacts for Pennsylvania. The compacts cover dentists, dental hygienists and physician assistants with qualifying licenses who seek to practice in other participating states. Applicants must meet the applicable compact's license, education, examination, background, conduct and other eligibility requirements and pay required compact or state fees. Dentists and dental hygienists may need to meet a remote state's legal-knowledge requirement. Physician assistants must meet requirements such as approved education, current certification, no disqualifying convictions or license restrictions, and any remote-state requirements for controlled substances. Professionals practicing under a compact privilege must follow the remote state's scope of practice and remain subject to that state's regulators. The dentist and dental hygienist compact becomes operative after the Governor executes it, files a verified copy and at least six other states ratify it. The physician assistant compact becomes operative when its compact statute is enacted in the seventh participating state and Pennsylvania completes the required execution and filing.

Pennsylvania licensing boards would adopt temporary rules and accept compact-privilege applications after the applicable compact becomes effective. The speech-language and audiology, dentistry, medicine and osteopathic medicine, and social-work boards would handle implementation for their respective compacts. The boards could act only after the relevant compact becomes effective between Pennsylvania and participating states. The compact commissions may set rules, fees, data-sharing requirements and eligibility details that participating states and professionals must follow. The compacts require sharing specified licensing, disciplinary and investigative information with compact systems, subject to stated limits on public disclosure. The speech-language and audiology board would act within 180 days after the effective date of the implementation paragraph. The dentistry, medicine and osteopathic medicine, and social-work boards would act within one year after that date.