Enact the Respiratory Care Interstate Compact

This bill enacts the Respiratory Care Interstate Compact in Montana, allowing licensed respiratory therapists to practice in other member states without obtaining separate licenses in each location. The law creates a shared system where therapists maintain their home state license while receiving temporary authorization to work in other participating states, with the goal of improving patient access to care and addressing workforce shortages. Key provisions include mandatory criminal background checks for new license applicants, establishment of a commission to oversee the compact, and special provisions to support military members and their spouses who relocate frequently. The compact preserves each state's authority to regulate respiratory therapy practice while streamlining administrative processes across state lines.