HB 338 – Establish New Nurse Licensure Compact
Primary Sponsors: Rep. John Szoka (R – Cumberland), Rep. Gale Adcock (D – Wake), Rep. Beverly Boswell (R – Dare), Rep. Linda Williams (R – Wake)
HB 550 – Establish New Nurse Licensure Compact
Primary Sponsors: Rep. John Szoka (R- Cumberland), Rep. Gale Adcock (D – Wake), Rep. Beverly Boswell (R – Dare), Rep. Donna White (R – Johnston)
This bill would repeal North Carolina’s current nurse licensure compact and replace it with a new compact. The goal of this bill is to reduce redundancies for nurses who wish to practice in multiple states. This bill’s requirements include consideration of criminal history and fingerprinting for all applicants pursuing a multi-state license. All applicants must meet the home state’s requirements for licensure and renewal. If the bill passes, nurses who fail to meet these requirements would no longer be able to have a multistate license.
This bill also specifies adverse action that could be taken against a nurse’s multistate license such as the licensing board would have the authority to issue cease and desist orders on a nurse’s authority to practice, complete investigations and issue subpoenas for hearings and investigations.
All states participating in the compact would be required to coordinate an information system of all registered and practical/vocational nurses.
This compact would also create the Interstate Commission of Nurse Licensure Compact Administrators. Each state would have one administrator.
This bill allows the Commission to create rules and amendments that would have the same force and effect as the compact.
This compact would come into effect by no less than 26 states or December 31, 2018.
The new version of the compact has more states included than the earlier version.
House:
Rep. John Szoka (R- Cumberland) introduced this bill in the House Health Committee on April 6, 2017. This bill received a favorable report, and was referred to the House Finance Committee.
Rep. John Szoka (R- Cumberland) introduced this bill in the House Finance Committee on April 20, 2017. This bill received a favorable report, and will now move to the House floor.
This bill was heard in the House on April 24, 2017. This bill passed second reading with a vote of 116-0. This bill will now move to the Senate.
Senate:
This bill was placed on the Senate Rules and Operations Committee on April 24, 2017.
This bill passed the Senate Rules Committee on June 28, 2017, and will now move to the Senate floor.
This bill passed in the Senate on June 28, 2017, and will now be sent to Governor Cooper.
This bill was signed by Gov. Cooper on July 20, 2017.