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AlabamaSB612025 Regular SessionSenate

School Psychologist Interstate Licensure Compact

Sponsored By: Kirk Hatcher (Democratic)

Enacted

Occupational Licensing Boards

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

8 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 2 costs, 4 mixed.

School psychologists must meet training standards

Member states must require qualifying education, supervised training, and a national exam for initial home-state school psychologist licenses. Applicants need a qualifying doctoral or specialist-level degree in school psychology. They must complete at least 1,200 supervised internship hours, including at least 600 hours in a school.

School psychologists gain interstate licensing options

Alabama's law takes effect October 1, 2025; the compact starts when the seventh state enacts it. Member states must grant equivalent licenses to qualified applicants with active home-state licenses who complete state and commission requirements. Applicants must pay applicable fees and background-check costs in the state where they seek a license. Licensees must also meet state-specific requirements established after their equivalent license is granted. Renewal requires an application, applicable fees, required background checks, and home-state renewal standards, including continuing education.

Military families gain flexible licensing options

School psychologists serving on active duty, and spouses of active-duty members, gain special home-state licensing options under the compact. Eligible locations include their permanent-residence state, primary-practice member state, or member state reached through a permanent change of station. This helps preserve their interstate licensing options during military moves.

States share school psychologist licensing safeguards

Member states must adopt substantially matching compact laws, track equivalent licenses, investigate complaints, and follow compact rules. School psychologists must follow practice rules where they provide services, and states keep their disciplinary powers. States must share required licensing records, denials and reasons, disciplinary actions, and notices of relevant investigations. Requested investigation and discipline files must be shared, protected at least like the receiving state's own files, and handled under confidentiality rules. Before further disclosure, receiving states must tell the source state their intention and purpose. States retain ownership and legal control of their records; alternative-program information is shared only when nonconfidential under state law.

School psychologists face interstate license fees

Member states may charge fees to issue and renew equivalent school psychologist licenses. Applicants and renewing licensees must pay applicable fees; the law sets no dollar amounts. The commission may also charge equivalent-license holders and collect annual payments from member states to fund its approved budget. These charges cover only budget needs not met by other revenue, with state shares set by a commission-rule formula.

State exits can end licensing access

A state can withdraw by repealing its compact law; withdrawal takes effect 180 days after the repeal is enacted. An unresolved default can lead to termination after other compliance efforts fail and a supermajority of member-state delegates votes to terminate. Either exit requires notice to licensees and continued recognition of compact licenses for at least six months after notice. Withdrawing states must keep reporting through withdrawal, including required reports about earlier adverse actions. Terminated states lose compact rights and benefits on the termination date but remain responsible for prior obligations. The compact continues among the remaining member states.

Commission personnel gain civil liability protections

Commission members, officers, staff, and representatives gain protection from personal and official civil liability for qualifying work-related acts or errors. Coverage applies within their commission duties, or when they reasonably believe they are acting within those duties. The commission must provide a defense and cover qualifying claims, settlements, and judgments. Protection excludes intentional, willful, or wanton misconduct and does not reduce psychologists' malpractice liability under state law.

Interstate commission runs school psychologist licensing

The law creates an interstate commission to run the compact, adopt binding rules, and issue temporary emergency rules. Later-joining states are subject to existing commission rules, and member states' executive and judicial branches must enforce the compact. The commission can enforce state compliance; only member states, not individuals, can enforce the compact against the commission. Enforcement disputes can reach federal court, with prevailing parties able to recover costs and attorney fees. Alabama law overrides conflicting commission rules; Alabama state courts alone decide those conflicts and conflicts with Alabama's Constitution of 2022. Individuals may bring other compact-related cases in Alabama state or federal courts that have jurisdiction. The compact's severability rule allows unaffected provisions to remain in force when another provision is invalid.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Kirk Hatcher

    Democratic • Senate

Cosponsors

  • Andrew Jones

    Republican • Senate

  • Robert Stewart

    Democratic • Senate

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 428 • No: 0

Senate vote • 4/8/2025

Hatcher Concur In and Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 499

Yes: 30 • No: 0

House vote • 4/8/2025

Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 639

Yes: 102 • No: 0

House vote • 4/8/2025

Motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 638

Yes: 102 • No: 0

House vote • 4/8/2025

Third Reading in Second House

Yes: 102 • No: 0

Senate vote • 2/11/2025

Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 38

Yes: 31 • No: 0

Senate vote • 2/11/2025

Jones motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 37

Yes: 31 • No: 0

Senate vote • 2/11/2025

Third Reading in House of Origin

Yes: 30 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Enacted

    4/22/2025Senate

  2. Enrolled

    4/9/2025Senate

  3. Delivered to Governor

    4/9/2025Senate

  4. Signature Requested

    4/9/2025House

  5. Third Reading in Second House

    4/8/2025House

  6. Gidley 1st Amendment Offered

    4/8/2025House

  7. Motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 638

    4/8/2025House

  8. Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 639

    4/8/2025House

  9. Hatcher Concur In and Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 499

    4/8/2025Senate

  10. Ready to Enroll

    4/8/2025Senate

  11. Reported Out of Committee Second House

    3/19/2025House

  12. Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar

    3/19/2025House

  13. Read for the first time and referred to the House Committee on Boards, Agencies and Commissions

    2/12/2025House

  14. Pending Committee Action in Second House

    2/12/2025House

  15. Third Reading in House of Origin

    2/11/2025Senate

  16. Jones 1st Amendment Offered

    2/11/2025Senate

  17. Jones motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 37

    2/11/2025Senate

  18. Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 38

    2/11/2025Senate

  19. Engrossed

    2/11/2025Senate

  20. Reported Out of Committee House of Origin

    2/5/2025Senate

  21. Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar

    2/5/2025Senate

  22. Read for the first time and referred to the Senate Committee on Veterans and Military Affairs

    2/4/2025Senate

  23. Pending Committee Action in House of Origin

    2/4/2025Senate

Bill Text

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