Today, Governor Tom Wolf signed Senate Bill 115 into law, officially making Pennsylvania the 37th state to join the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). This legislation is essential to the Commonwealth and to our 229,000 RNs and 51,000 LPNs, as compact membership will help meet the growing demand for nurses.
The Compact, once fully implemented, will allow RNs and LPNs to have one multistate license, with the ability to practice in Pennsylvania and other NLC jurisdictions. Nurses should expect the implementation process to take 6 months to 1 year. PSNA will be working closely with the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) and the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing to ensure that the NLC is fully implemented quickly and correctly. Stay tuned for more updates as they become available.
A new era of nurse licensure and license portability is upon us, and it is all thanks to the tireless advocacy of thousands of Pennsylvania’s nurses. PSNA members and nurses met with elected officials, wrote letters, made phone calls, and sent nearly 3,000 emails to legislators through the PSNA Phone2Action platform. These efforts resulted in Pennsylvania becoming the newest member of the Nurse Licensure Compact.
Finally, PSNA wishes to express our sincere thanks to Senator Lisa Boscola (D – Lehigh, Northampton) for sponsoring this legislation and getting it to the Governor’s desk. On behalf of the Commonwealth’s nurses, thank you to you and your staff for making the Nurse Licensure Compact the law of the land.