Bill > H3996

This bill enacts the Nurse Licensure Compact (NL C) into Massachusetts law, allowing nurses licensed in other participating states to practice in Massachusetts and vice versa, thereby increasing public access to nursing care and facilitating rapid deployment during emergencies. The NLC establishes a multistate license, meaning a nurse licensed in their "home state" (primary residence) can practice in any other "party state" (a state that has adopted the Compact) under a "multistate licensure privilege" without needing separate licenses in each state. The bill outlines specific requirements for obtaining and maintaining a multistate license, including background checks and adherence to state practice laws, and establishes an Interstate Commission of Nurse Licensure Compact Administrators to oversee the Compact's implementation and enforce its provisions. It also details procedures for information sharing between states, disciplinary actions, dispute resolution, and the process for states to join or withdraw from the Compact, with Massachusetts' entry into the Compact to become effective one year after the act's passage, and allows for fee increases to cover implementation costs.