HB 156 Alabama House · 2026 Regular Session

Physician Assistants; interstate licensure compact, established

HB 156 adopts the Physician Assistant (PA) Licensure Compact, allowing PAs licensed in one participating state to practice in other member states without obtaining separate licenses. This directly affects licensed PAs and patients across participating states, enabling easier access to care, especially for military families who can now practice across states with a single unrestricted license. Key provisions include creating a national commission to manage the compact, requiring states to share disciplinary actions and background check data, and establishing that PAs must follow the licensing rules of the state where the patient is located during care. The bill standardizes licensing requirements while maintaining each state's authority to discipline PAs under their own laws.

Issues: ✓ Healthcare

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Feb 2026

House Passage

Feb 2026

Senate Passage

Mar 2026

Signed into Law

Apr 2026

Introduced Jan 13, 2026 Signed Apr 20, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced → Enrolled · 4 edits · Apr 20, 2026

MODERATE

The bill transitioned from an introduced draft to its final enrolled version, incorporating substantive policy updates to the PA Licensure Compact. Key changes include clarifying that military families can obtain compact privileges based on an unrestricted license in good standing, adding new definitions for terms like 'Data System' and 'Impaired Practitioner', and expanding the list of defined terms to ensure comprehensive regulatory clarity.

Scope change

The bill's scope was refined to explicitly include provisions for military families and to formally define the operational structure of the PA Licensure Compact Commission, ensuring broader applicability and clearer enforcement mechanisms.

ELIGIBILITY

Added explicit language allowing active duty military personnel and their spouses to obtain compact privileges based on having an unrestricted license in good standing from a participating state.

DEFINITION

Introduced new definitions for 'Data System', 'Executive Committee', 'Impaired Practitioner', 'Investigative Information', 'Jurisprudence Requirement', 'License', 'Licensee', 'Licensing Board', 'Medical Services', 'Model Compact', 'Participating State', 'PA', 'PA Licensure Compact Commission', 'Qualifying License', 'Remote State', 'Rule', and 'Significant Investigative Information'.

Updated the definition of 'Criminal Background Check' to specify the submission of fingerprints or biometric information for obtaining criminal history records.

Expanded the definition of 'Adverse Action' to include monitoring of the licensee and restriction on the licensee's practice.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 5, 2026

Upper · Passed

Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 715

upper

Feb 11, 2026

Upper · Passed

Reported Out of Committee Second House

upper

Feb 5, 2026

Upper · Passed

Pending Committee Action in Second House (Healthcare)

upper

Feb 3, 2026

Lower · Passed

Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 257

lower

Jan 21, 2026

Lower · Passed

Reported Out of Committee House of Origin

lower

Jan 13, 2026

Lower · Passed

Pending Committee Action in House of Origin (Health)

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors