Senate Bill 879 Summary

• Establishes the PA Licensure Compact to allow physician assistants with unrestricted licenses in participating states to practice in other participating states through a "Compact Privilege" mechanism.

• Creates the PA Licensure Compact Commission as a national administrative body composed of one delegate per participating state, with powers to promulgate binding rules, maintain a data system tracking licensees and adverse actions, and enforce compact provisions.

• Requires participating states to license PAs, participate in the commission's data system, conduct criminal background checks, report adverse actions and significant investigative information, and use the NCCPA PANCE exam as a licensure requirement.

• Sets eligibility requirements for the Compact Privilege including graduation from accredited PA programs, current NCCPA certification, no felony/misdemeanor convictions, clean controlled substance license history, and no active license restrictions or revocations.

• Provides for adverse action procedures allowing remote states to discipline a PA's Compact Privilege while the home state maintains exclusive authority over the qualifying license, with a two-year waiting period after restrictions are lifted before restoring full privileges; becomes effective October 1, 2024.