# Alabama SB181: Interstate compact, respiratory therapists Alabama SB181, Interstate compact, respiratory therapists, is a 2025 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Keith Kelley (Republican); status enacted, last action 2025-04-17 (Enacted); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-16). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AL-SB181-2025rs - As of: 2026-10-16 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Alabama SB181 - State: Alabama - Session: 2025 Regular Session - Title: Interstate compact, respiratory therapists - Status: enacted - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-02-20 - Last action: 2025-04-17, Enacted - Sponsor: Keith Kelley (Republican) - Cosponsors: 3 - Subjects: Occupational Licensing Boards - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 7 (417 yes, 1 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 8 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Military therapists and spouses get fee relief: benefit, low. The commission cannot charge active-duty military members or their spouses for an interstate practice privilege. They can choose a home state where they hold a current license in good standing. They can keep that choice throughout the service member's active duty. States where they practice may red… - Limits on lawsuits against compact officials: cost, low. Member states and covered compact personnel are protected from civil claims for acts within, or reasonably believed within, their duties. The commission must defend covered personnel and pay qualifying settlements and judgments; intentional, willful, or wanton misconduct is excluded. These protecti… - Therapists face interstate practice fees: cost, low. The commission can charge respiratory therapists who receive an interstate practice privilege. Member states can also charge privilege and renewal fees. The commission can collect yearly state assessments, divided using a formula set by rule, to fund its work. The law does not set fee or assessment… - Respiratory therapists gain interstate practice access: mixed, medium. Beginning October 1, 2025, Alabama joins the respiratory care compact; the compact takes effect when the seventh state enacts it. Member states must enforce it, letting eligible respiratory therapists work across member states without separate licenses. Therapists need an active home-state license,… - Therapists face shared checks and discipline: mixed, low. Member states must investigate complaints, report serious findings and license actions, and check new licensees' criminal backgrounds when legally authorized. Background checks include fingerprints or other biometric information sent to federal and state record systems. States can investigate joint… - Therapists get transition protection when states leave: mixed, low. The commission can remove a defaulting state only after notice, a chance to fix problems, failed compliance efforts, and a majority vote. A state can withdraw 180 days after passing a repeal law. A departing state must notify recorded license and privilege holders and recognize compact licenses for… - Shared therapist rules retain Alabama safeguards: mixed, low. A joint government commission runs the compact, with one voting representative per member state and annual public and financial reports. Its rules become law on their stated dates, but end everywhere if most member-state legislatures reject them within four years. Rulemaking generally requires 30 d… - Therapist records shared with privacy limits: mixed, low. The commission must run a shared system for licensing, disciplinary, and significant investigation records supplied by member states. States cannot submit criminal history records, and legally expunged information must be removed. Significant investigation records are available only to member state… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Keith Kelley (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Robert Stewart (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Rodger M. Smitherman (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Wes Kitchens (Republican), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-04-09 | Senate | Kelley motion to Concur in and Adopt - Roll Call 562 | pass | 25 | 0 | | | 2025-04-08 | House | Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 644 | pass | 103 | 0 | | | 2025-04-08 | House | Motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 643 | pass | 102 | 1 | | | 2025-04-08 | House | Third Reading in Second House | pass | 103 | 0 | | | 2025-03-06 | Senate | Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 304 | pass | 28 | 0 | | | 2025-03-06 | Senate | Kelley motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 303 | pass | 28 | 0 | | | 2025-03-06 | Senate | Third Reading in House of Origin | pass | 28 | 0 | | ## Actions (25) - 2025-04-17: Enacted (Senate) - 2025-04-10: Signature Requested (House) - 2025-04-10: Delivered to Governor (Senate) - 2025-04-09: Kelley motion to Concur in and Adopt - Roll Call 562 (Senate) - 2025-04-09: Ready to Enroll (Senate) - 2025-04-09: Enrolled (Senate) - 2025-04-08: Third Reading in Second House (House) - 2025-04-08: Health Engrossed Substitute Offered (House) - 2025-04-08: Motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 643 (House) - 2025-04-08: Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 644 (House) - 2025-03-19: Health 1st Amendment (House) - 2025-03-19: Reported Out of Committee Second House (House) - 2025-03-19: Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar (House) - 2025-03-06: Third Reading in House of Origin (Senate) - 2025-03-06: Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Safety 1st Amendment Offered (Senate) - 2025-03-06: Kelley motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 303 (Senate) - 2025-03-06: Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 304 (Senate) - 2025-03-06: Engrossed (Senate) - 2025-03-06: Read for the first time and referred to the House Committee on Health (House) - 2025-03-06: Pending Committee Action in Second House (House) - 2025-02-27: Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Safety 1st Amendment (Senate) - 2025-02-27: Reported Out of Committee House of Origin (Senate) - 2025-02-27: Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar (Senate) - 2025-02-20: Read for the first time and referred to the Senate Committee on Veterans and Military Affairs (Senate) - 2025-02-20: Pending Committee Action in House of Origin (Senate) ## Bill text - As Introduced: [PDF](https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2025RS/SB181-int.pdf) - Engrossed: [PDF](https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2025RS/SB181-eng.pdf) - Enrolled: [PDF](https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2025RS/SB181-enr.pdf) ## Related bills - HB52: Income Taxes; to make technical changes to the funding provisions of the CHOOSE Act credits and increase funding, and to extend the sunset date for deductions… (enacted) - SB331: Barbour County, compensation of the judge of probate further provided for (enacted) - SB102: Medicaid; providing presumptive eligibility to pregnant women (enacted) - HB445: Cannabinoids found in hemp; licensure and regulation of sale of consumable cannabinoid products by Alcoholic Beverage Control Board imposed (enacted) - HB357: Tobacco products, heated tobacco product definition and tax provided for (enacted) - HB349: Russell County; sheriff, salary further provided (enacted) ## Sources - [As Introduced (PDF)](https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2025RS/SB181-int.pdf) - [Engrossed (PDF)](https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2025RS/SB181-eng.pdf) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2025RS/SB181-enr.pdf) ## Related - [HB52: Income Taxes; to make technical changes to the funding provisions of the CHOOSE…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AL-HB52-2025rs) - [SB331: Barbour County, compensation of the judge of probate further provided for](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AL-SB331-2025rs) - [SB102: Medicaid; providing presumptive eligibility to pregnant women](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AL-SB102-2025rs) - [HB445: Cannabinoids found in hemp; licensure and regulation of sale of consumable cann…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AL-HB445-2025rs) - [HB357: Tobacco products, heated tobacco product definition and tax provided for](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AL-HB357-2025rs) - [HB349: Russell County; sheriff, salary further provided](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AL-HB349-2025rs) - [Alabama bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/alabama/bills) - [Alabama state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/alabama) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AL-SB181-2025rs (as of 2026-10-16).