# Arkansas SB119: TO ESTABLISH THE INTERSTATE MEDICAL LICENSURE COMPACT. Arkansas SB119, TO ESTABLISH THE INTERSTATE MEDICAL LICENSURE COMPACT., is a 2025 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Clint Penzo (Republican), Aaron Pilkington (Republican); status enacted, last action 2025-03-12 (Notification that SB119 is now Act 269) (as of 2026-10-19). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-SB119-2025 - As of: 2026-10-19 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Arkansas SB119 - State: Arkansas - Session: 2025 Regular Session - Title: TO ESTABLISH THE INTERSTATE MEDICAL LICENSURE COMPACT. - Status: enacted - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-01-27 - Last action: 2025-03-12, Notification that SB119 is now Act 269 - Sponsors: Clint Penzo (Republican), Aaron Pilkington (Republican) - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 2 (129 yes, 1 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 7 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Faster multistate licensing for eligible physicians: benefit, medium. Arkansas adopts a voluntary, faster path for eligible physicians to get separate licenses in participating states, including for telemedicine. Physicians must meet the Compact’s education, exam, training, specialty certification, license, and conduct requirements. They apply through a principal sta… - Fees and renewal limits for physicians: cost, medium. Participating states can charge fees to issue or renew expedited licenses; the law sets no dollar amounts. The Interstate Commission can set fee rules and collects renewal fees for distribution to state boards. Renewal requires a full, unrestricted principal-state license and the issuing state’s co… - Credential and background checks for physicians: cost, low. Arkansas’s Medical Board must verify physician credentials through the Federal Credentials Verification Service or a state service aligned with the Compact. Principal-state checks require FBI-compliant fingerprints or other biometric checks, with an exception for certain federal employees. Arkansas… - Patient protections and cross-state physician suspensions: mixed, medium. Medical practice falls under the state where the patient is located, including remote visits; that state’s board retains disciplinary authority. The Commission keeps a shared applicant and licensee database, and boards report required complaints, public actions, and discipline. Shared information g… - Lawsuit protections for licensing Commission workers: mixed, low. Covered Commission officers, employees, and other personnel receive protection from lawsuits and liability for covered work within their duties. Coverage also includes work reasonably believed to fall within those duties, subject to applicable state-law limits. Protections do not cover intentional… - Shared licensing rules bind member states: mixed, low. The Arkansas State Medical Board administers the Compact and must make state rules consistent with it. Initial rules must be filed by January 1, 2026, or as soon as practicable after required approvals. Lawful Commission actions and applicable agreements bind member states; Commission rules apply i… - States face penalties and delayed withdrawal: mixed, low. A majority of Commissioners can authorize a federal lawsuit against a state that defaults on Compact duties. The Commission can seek a court order or damages; the winning party is entitled to costs, including reasonable attorney’s fees. Membership can end after an uncured default, exhausted efforts… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Clint Penzo (Republican), Senate - Sponsor: Aaron Pilkington (Republican), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-03-10 | House | House Vote - Monday, March 10, 2025 3:34:59 PM | pass | 99 | 0 | | | 2025-03-04 | Senate | Senate Vote - Tuesday, March 4, 2025 1:56:38 PM | pass | 30 | 1 | 4 | ## Actions (18) - 2025-03-12: Notification that SB119 is now Act 269 (Senate) - 2025-03-11: DELIVERED TO GOVERNOR. (Senate) - 2025-03-11: Reported correctly enrolled and ordered delivered to the Governor. (Senate) - 2025-03-10: ORDERED ENROLLED (Senate) - 2025-03-10: Returned from the House as passed. (Senate) - 2025-03-10: Returned to the Senate as passed. (House) - 2025-03-10: Read the third time and passed and ordered transmitted to the Senate. (House) - 2025-03-06: Returned by the Committee Do Pass (House) - 2025-03-04: Read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and referred to the Committee on PUBLIC HEALTH, WELFARE AND LABOR COMMITTEE- HOUSE (House) - 2025-03-04: RECEIVED FROM THE SENATE (House) - 2025-03-04: Ordered immediately transmitted to the House. (Senate) - 2025-03-04: Read the third time and passed. (Senate) - 2025-03-03: REPORTED CORRECTLY ENGROSSED (Senate) - 2025-03-03: Amendment # 1 read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and adopted, ordered engrossed. (Senate) - 2025-03-03: Placed on second reading for purpose of amendment. (Senate) - 2025-02-26: Returned by the Committee with the recommendation that it Do Pass as amended, Amendment # 1 (Senate) - 2025-01-27: Read first time, rules suspended, read second time, referred to PUBLIC HEALTH, WELFARE AND LABOR COMMITTEE - SENATE (Senate) - 2025-01-27: Filed (Senate) ## Bill text - SB119 - Introduced, 2025-01-27: [PDF](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2025R%2FPublic%2FSB119.pdf) - Act Version: [PDF](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Acts/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2025R%2FPublic%2F&file=269.pdf&ddBienniumSession=2025%2F2025R) ## Related bills - HB1265: AN ACT FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT LITTLE ROCK APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025-2026 FISCAL YEAR. (enacted) - HB1237: TO PROHIBIT MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS FROM SOLICITING INJURED INDIVIDUALS; AND TO SET PENALTIES FOR A VIOLATION OF THE PROHIBITION OF SOLICITATION OF INJURED INDIV… (failed) - HB1686: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING LICENSES TO CARRY CONCEALED HANDGUNS. (failed) - SB440: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING EMBALMERS AND FUNERAL DIRECTORS; TO REGULATE THE USE OF ALKALINE HYDROLYSIS; AND TO REGULATE ALKALINE HYDROLYSIS FACILITIES. (failed) - HB1695: TO CLARIFY THE FORECLOSURE PROCESS FOR PROPERTY SUBJECT TO A MUNICIPAL LIEN; TO ALLOW A MUNICIPALITY TO PETITION TO SET ASIDE THE SALE OF PROPERTY TO CERTAIN P… (failed) - HR1012: TO AMEND THE RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY; TO REQUIRE THAT A MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES BE SELECTED A… (failed) ## Sources - [SB119 - Introduced (PDF)](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2025R%2FPublic%2FSB119.pdf) - [Act Version (PDF)](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Acts/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2025R%2FPublic%2F&file=269.pdf&ddBienniumSession=2025%2F2025R) ## Related - [HB1265: AN ACT FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT LITTLE ROCK APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1265-2025) - [HB1237: TO PROHIBIT MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS FROM SOLICITING INJURED INDIVIDUALS; AND TO S…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1237-2025) - [HB1686: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING LICENSES TO CARRY CONCEALED HANDGUNS.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1686-2025) - [SB440: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING EMBALMERS AND FUNERAL DIRECTORS; TO REGULATE THE US…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-SB440-2025) - [HB1695: TO CLARIFY THE FORECLOSURE PROCESS FOR PROPERTY SUBJECT TO A MUNICIPAL LIEN; TO…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1695-2025) - [HR1012: TO AMEND THE RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HR1012-2025) - [Arkansas bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/arkansas/bills) - [Arkansas state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/arkansas) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-SB119-2025 (as of 2026-10-19).