HB373 Alabama 2019 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

April WeaverSenator

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2019

Title

Nursing, Board of, allow board to enter into the Enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact, Secs. 34-21-20.01, 34-21-120 to 34-21-130, inclusive, added; Secs. 34-21-1, 34-21-2, 34-21-21, 34-21-22, 34-21-25 am'd.

Summary

HB 373 would authorize Alabama's Board of Nursing to join the Enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact to standardize licensing and allow multistate practice across participating states.

What This Bill Does

It adds a background-check requirement for multistate license applicants, creates the ENLC framework in Alabama, and establishes the Interstate Commission to govern the compact. It sets up a coordinated licensure information system to share licensure and disciplinary data among party states and outlines how adverse actions are handled across states. It also details how licenses are issued, maintained, and deactivated when a nurse moves between states, and includes sunset review provisions for continued participation.

Who It Affects

• Nurses in Alabama (registered nurses and licensed practical nurses) who may apply for and hold multistate licenses that allow practice in other ENLC states.
• Alabama Board of Nursing and other party-state licensing boards (and the Interstate Commission) responsible for regulating, enforcing, and coordinating nurse licensure across state lines.

Key Provisions

• Authorizes the Board of Nursing to participate in the Enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact to provide uniform licensing requirements and multi-state practice across party states.
• Adds §34-21-20.01 requiring fingerprints for background checks for multistate license applicants and license endorsements, with costs paid by applicants and confidential handling of the results.
• Establishes Article 7 (34-21-120 to 34-21-130) creating the ENLC framework, including definitions (home state, party state, multistate license), purposes, and the unified approach to licensure and regulation.
• Creates the Interstate Commission of Nurse Licensure Compact Administrators to govern the compact, set bylaws, manage finances, and coordinate across party states.
• Requires a Coordinated Licensure Information System for reporting licensure data, adverse actions, significant investigations, and participation in alternative programs, shared among party states with privacy protections.
• Provides rules for recognizing, renewing, and deactivating multistate licenses when nurses move between states, and for handling adverse actions across states, including deactivation of multistate privileges during enforcement actions.
• Includes sunset review provisions to evaluate continued participation, with triggers related to costs, litigation, or legislative requests, and allows withdrawal under specified conditions.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Nursing, Board of