Division moves physician assistant licensure compact draft to full committee amid background-check concern for a different compact
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Summary
The division recommended forwarding the physician assistant compact (LC 25.1385) to the full committee but members flagged an unresolved issue with the occupational therapy compact's authority to request BCI background checks that may need a separate fix before the compact goes live.
The Rural Health Transformation division recommended forwarding LC 25.1385 (25.1385.10.00), a draft adopting the physician assistant licensure compact and creating a new chapter (43-17.5) to implement compact privileges for PAs licensed in other states.
Beth Dittis said the first pages of the draft make corresponding changes needed for the Board of Medicine to administer the compact locally. "The compact authorizes physician assistants that are licensed in other states to practice in North Dakota under a compact privilege," Dittis said.
Members used the discussion to flag a separate technical problem: the recently adopted occupational therapy compact lacks explicit authority for the occupational therapy board to request BCI background checks for compact licensees. Senators said several states are joining the OT compact and a gap could leave compact licensees unable to practice in North Dakota unless the issue is addressed before the compact becomes active. Counsel said adding unrelated provisions to these bills could raise single-subject concerns and that the committee must be cautious about the scope of amendments.
Given timing pressures and unresolved legal questions, the division recommended forwarding the physician assistant compact draft to the full committee; the motion was seconded and the division carried the motion by voice vote. The full committee and the special-session standing committee will have the forum for public testimony and any related amendments.
