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Committee reports amended bill to let Pennsylvania join dentist and dental hygienist compact after debate
Summary
House Bill 1127, which would allow Pennsylvania to join the dentist and dental hygienist interstate compact, was reported as amended (effective date changed from 60 days to one year) after committee debate about background checks, disciplinary authority, and standards; roll call vote was 15–11.
The House Professional Licensure Committee voted to report House Bill 1127 as amended, a measure that would allow Pennsylvania to join the dentist and dental hygienist interstate compact.
Representative Mullins, the bill’s prime sponsor, said the compact would ‘‘make it easier for qualified providers to practice across state lines without unnecessary delays or duplicative licensing,’’ and argued that joining would improve access to care in rural and underserved communities. Mullins told the committee the compact includes criminal background-check and fingerprint requirements and discipline provisions, saying, "Page 7, line 11, mandates that in order for states to participate, they must have implemented a criminal background check," and later pointing to language that allows a remote state to take adverse action to revoke a compact privilege.
Several members expressed concern about the compact’s effect on Pennsylvania standards. Representative Kozorowski said he would vote to move the bill but raised questions about continuity of care, exams and background checks. Representative Mahaffey said she would vote no, arguing the compact could lower Pennsylvania standards for patient protection. Representative Armenini and others said the bill was drafted out of state and needs work to ensure compatibility with Pennsylvania law.
Committee staff summarized Amendment A03021, which changes the bill’s effective date from 60 days to one year; the amendment was agreed to. After further comments, the committee proceeded to a roll-call vote: the ayes were 15 and the nays were 11. The committee then reported HB1127 as amended.
Sponsor Mullins and other supporters pointed to compact safeguards in the bill’s text including fingerprint-based criminal-history submissions and compact-database checks; opponents urged more public vetting and assurances that Pennsylvania could suspend practitioners and preserve patient protection standards.
The committee’s action sends the amended compact bill to the next legislative step for consideration.
