Dan Way reports for Carolina Journal on activity at the legislature:
The House has unanimously passed legislation to add North Carolina to a compact of states that would share psychological services in short supply.
House Bill 297 would create a Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact allowing licensed psychologists in one state to practice telepsychology across state lines, and to practice temporary face-to-face psychology across state boundaries for 30 days within a calendar year. The House voted 109-0 Wednesday, March 27, to approve the bill, and sent it to the Senate.
The compact is a priority of the Department of Defense because it helps military spouses with psychology degrees open practices.
A compact needs seven member states to function. North Carolina would be the eighth. But Illinois will not become active until 2020. If H.B. 297 becomes law, the compact would open Oct. 1.
The legislation mirrors a component of Senate Bill 361, The Health Care Expansion Act of 2019. That omnibus health-care legislation was introduced in the Senate on Tuesday and referred to the Senate Rules Committee.
North Carolina already participates in two multistate arrangements: The Interstate Nurse Licensure Compact, and Physical Therapy Licensure Compact.
Bill sponsors say H.B. 297 would enhance the state’s ability to protect public health and safety while encouraging cooperation among PSYPACT states. The compact states could hold psychologists accountable by exchanging information about licensure, adverse actions involving legal or regulatory violations, and disciplinary history.
Read more here.
