HB 1961 Pennsylvania House · 2025-2026 Regular Session

An Act authorizing the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to join the PA Licensure Compact; providing for the form of the compact; and imposing additional powers and duties on the Governor, the Secretary of the Commonwealth and the PA Licensure Compact.

HB 1961 authorizes Pennsylvania to join the PA Licensure Compact, a mutual recognition agreement with other states. This would allow licensed professionals (like nurses, teachers, and contractors) in participating states to practice across state lines without obtaining separate licenses in each state. The bill establishes the legal framework for Pennsylvania’s participation and outlines responsibilities for the Governor and Secretary of the Commonwealth. The bill passed the House on November 17, 2025, and is now under review by the Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure committee.
Bill status passed 4 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Oct 2025
Committee Review
Jul 2026
House Passage
Nov 2025
Senate Passage
Jul 2026
Governor
Introduced Oct 17, 2025 Last action Jul 11, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Printer's No. PN2551 Printer's No. PN2870 · 8 edits
MODERATE
This bill update reflects the Pennsylvania Senate's final amendments to the PA Licensure Compact, refining definitions, clarifying enforcement powers, and adjusting administrative procedures. The changes ensure the compact aligns with current legal standards for interstate medical practice while maintaining strict oversight of adverse actions against licensees.
Scope change
The scope remains focused on enabling interstate medical practice, but the applicability of certain rules and definitions has been clarified to better reflect the operational realities of the compact.
DEFINITION

Added 'recognition of advances in delivery' to the purpose statement and expanded the definition of 'Jurisprudence Requirement' to explicitly include knowledge of state laws and rules.

ELIGIBILITY

Updated the list of bill sponsors to include new names (Scott, Khan, Borowski) and removed one name (Kenyatta), reflecting the current legislative leadership.

ENFORCEMENT

Clarified that a Participating State cannot discipline a licensee's compact privilege for lawful conduct occurring in that state, protecting legitimate cross-state practice.

Updated the dispute resolution process to allow defaulting states to appeal termination in federal court, providing a clear legal remedy for disputes.

REQUIREMENT

Refined the timeline for deactivating compact privileges after adverse actions, ensuring a clear two-year waiting period after restrictions are lifted.

Changed the emergency rulemaking notice period from an unspecified time to exactly twenty-four (24) hours, balancing urgency with transparency.

FISCAL

Revised the Commission's authority to borrow money and added new powers to appoint committees and establish budgets, enhancing the Commission's operational flexibility.

TECHNICAL

Corrected formatting inconsistencies in page headers and section numbering throughout the document to match the final printer's version.

Floor votes · Senate Jul 10, 2026 · House Nov 17, 2025

How they voted

220
Passed
Total votes 22
Jul 10, 2026
D Democratic8
8 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican14
14 Yea
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
16
Key actions
6
Committee
7
Amendments
1
Jul 10, 2026
Senate · Passed
Senate Vote: pass (22-0)
senate
Jul 10, 2026
Upper · Passed
Re-reported as committed
upper
May 5, 2026
Committee
Re-referred to Appropriations
upper
Feb 4, 2026
Upper · Passed
Reported as amended
upper
Nov 24, 2025
Committee
Referred to Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure
upper
Nov 17, 2025
Lower · Passed
Third consideration and final passage
lower
Nov 17, 2025
Lower · Passed
Re-reported as committed
lower
Oct 29, 2025
Committee
Re-committed to Appropriations
lower
Oct 28, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reported as committed
lower
Oct 17, 2025
Committee
Referred to Professional Licensure
lower
1 primary · 16 co-sponsors

Sponsors