All Roll Calls
Yes: 322 • No: 4
KansasHB 25332025–2026 Regular SessionHouseWALLET
Enacting the occupational therapy licensure compact, respiratory care interstate compact, esthetics licensure compact and athletic trainer licensure compact to provide interstate practice privileges.
Sponsored By: Sponsor information unavailable
Signed by Governor
public health and welfarehealth and human services
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
16 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 12 mixed.
Easier multistate practice for occupational therapists
The law creates the occupational therapy compact so licensed therapists and assistants can practice in other member states, including by telehealth. The commission runs a shared data system and can make binding rules after public notice. Occupational therapy assistants using a compact privilege must be supervised by an occupational therapist licensed or privileged in that state. Active-duty service members and spouses can keep a chosen home-state license while on active duty. The commission may charge fees or assessments to fund operations; the law does not set amounts. States that join must use a national exam, require continuing competence, run criminal-history checks, report adverse actions, and join the compact data system.
Esthetics data rules and state exits
The commission builds a central database, and member states send a standard set of license and discipline data. If information is expunged under federal or state law, the commission must remove it. If a state defaults and does not fix it after notice and help, the commission can end that state’s membership. The state must notify licensees and keep recognizing multistate licenses for at least 180 days. A state can also withdraw by repealing its compact law. Withdrawal takes effect 180 days after enactment. The state must keep reporting until then and notify licensees. Active-duty service members and spouses can keep a chosen home-state esthetics license while on active duty.
Get and keep compact privileges
If you hold a valid, unencumbered home-state license, a remote member state grants you a compact privilege. States may charge fees. To qualify, you need a home-state license, a Social Security number or national ID, no encumbrances, a background check, to pass any state law test, to notify the commission, and to pay fees. Your compact privilege lasts until your home license expires and renews with it. If your home license is encumbered, you lose all compact privileges until it is cleared and two years pass. When you move, you apply in the new home state, pay fees, and may need an FBI fingerprint check if none is on file. Active-duty service members and spouses do not pay commission fees for a compact privilege; remote states may still charge a reduced or zero state fee.
Interstate practice for athletic trainers
The law sets up the athletic trainer compact and its commission so trainers can practice across member states. States that join must run FBI fingerprint background checks, use unique identifiers, report adverse actions, and follow commission rules. To get a compact privilege, you must pass a criminal background check, hold BOC certification or meet approved education and exam standards, have an unencumbered license with no restriction in the past two years, meet continuing-competence and law tests, notify the commission, and pay fees. Report any non-member adverse action within 30 days. When you practice in a remote state, you must follow that state’s scope-of-practice rules; that state can fine you or remove your privilege. Any adverse action that encumbers your qualifying license deactivates your compact privileges in all member states until your license is clear and you have two years without restrictions. Your compact privilege lasts until your qualifying license expires and renews with it. You may hold privileges in several states at once.
Multistate practice for respiratory therapists
The law creates the respiratory care compact so licensed therapists can practice in other member states through a compact privilege. States that join must license therapists, join the shared data system, report discipline, and run background checks at initial licensure. To use a compact privilege, you need an active home-state license, an active NBRC credential, no adverse action in the past two years, to meet each remote state’s law test, to notify the commission, pay fees, report your domicile, and accept mail service. Update your address within 30 days. The commission keeps a database of licenses and serious investigations; criminal-history records are not sent to that system. States can act on serious information from other states and issue subpoenas that member courts enforce; the issuer pays witness and travel costs. If a remote state removes your privilege, you cannot practice there. If your home license is encumbered, you lose all privileges until it is cleared and two years pass.
Setting up the esthetics compact
The law creates the esthetics licensure compact commission once seven states have enacted the compact. Each member state names one voting delegate, and an executive committee handles daily work. The commission can make rules after public notice and hearings. Most rules take effect no earlier than 45 days after adoption. Emergency rules can start after five days and must go through normal notice within 90 days. The commission can hire staff, set a budget, enter contracts, and fund its work with state assessments and license fees. It cannot spend money it has not secured. The law does not set fee amounts.
Legal immunity for compact staff
Commission members and staff have qualified immunity for acts done within their job duties. The commission must defend and indemnify them in civil cases. Immunity does not cover intentional, willful, or wanton misconduct, and it does not waive state sovereign immunity or antitrust defenses.
Open meetings for compact commissions
The commission must meet at least once each year in public. It must post meeting notices 30 days in advance, or 24 hours for emergencies with counsel certification. It must keep minutes and may close meetings only for limited topics like personnel, investigations, or litigation.
States must enforce and follow compact
Each member state’s executive and judicial branches must enforce and carry out the compact. The compact overrides any conflicting state rules, while non‑conflicting state laws still apply. Commission‑state agreements are binding as written.
Uniform rulemaking for the compacts
The commissions exist and run the compacts. They can make binding rules, with public notice, hearings, and majority votes. Emergency rules are allowed with 24 hours’ notice, followed by full rulemaking within 90 days. Courts can block a rule that exceeds authority or conflicts with a state’s scope‑of‑practice laws. State-specific rulemaking procedures do not apply to the compacts.
New discipline rules for compact licensees
Your home state controls discipline on the license it issued. Any other member state can limit or remove your compact privilege and can fine you to protect patients. States can issue subpoenas for hearings, share key investigative details, and must report actions to the compact data system.
One license rule, limited background data
You may hold only one compact‑qualifying license at a time; the commission can set how it is designated. For the occupational therapy compact, states cannot send criminal‑history records to the shared database. This limits background data while keeping a single qualifying license.
Compact fees, with military waivers
The commission may charge licensees for compact privileges and assess member states. It adopts a formula for assessments and cannot spend before funds are secured. Active‑duty military members and spouses do not pay the commission’s compact‑privilege fee. A state that charges its own privilege fee can reduce or waive it for them.
Shared license database and privacy
The commission runs a shared database of licenses, adverse actions, denials, and other uniform data. Only member states can see whether a significant investigation is open, and expunged records must be removed. Commission‑certified records count as official business records in hearings and courts.
Court and dispute rules for compacts
The commission offers mediation and, when needed, binding dispute resolution. With a two‑thirds vote, it can sue a defaulting state in federal court; a state can also sue the commission there. The winning side can recover court costs and reasonable attorney fees. Cases about the compact must be filed where the commission’s main office is, unless it waives that. The commission must be served and can intervene in cases about the compact.
State membership, defaults, and exit rules
The commission must give written default notice with training and help. If the state does not cure, a majority can end its membership after formal notice to state leaders. A removed state must pay what it owes and keep recognizing compact licenses for at least 180 days after notice; the commission does not pay that state’s default costs. A state can withdraw by repealing the law; withdrawal starts 180 days after repeal and past investigations and actions must still be reported. The compact starts when seven states enact it, and in Kansas this act takes effect upon publication in the Kansas register.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsors
There is no primary sponsor on record.
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
House vote • 4/23/2026
Yea: 125 Nay: 0
Yes: 125 • No: 0
House vote • 4/23/2026
Yea: 38 Nay: 2
Yes: 38 • No: 2
House vote • 4/23/2026
Yea: 38 Nay: 2
Yes: 38 • No: 2
House vote • 4/23/2026
Yea: 121 Nay: 0
Yes: 121 • No: 0
Actions Timeline
Reengrossed on Wednesday, April 1, 2026
4/9/2026HouseEnrolled and presented to Governor on Friday, April 3, 2026
4/9/2026HouseApproved by Governor on Thursday, April 9, 2026
4/9/2026HouseConference Committee Report was adopted; Yea: 125 Nay: 0
3/26/2026HouseConference committee report now available
3/25/2026SenateConference Committee Report was adopted; Yea: 38 Nay: 2
3/25/2026SenateNonconcurred with amendments; Conference Committee requested; appointed Representative Carpenter, W. , Representative Bryce and Representative Ruiz, S. as conferees
3/18/2026HouseMotion to accede adopted; Senator Gossage, Senator Clifford and Senator Holscher appointed as conferees
3/18/2026SenateFinal Action - Passed as amended; Yea: 38 Nay: 2
3/17/2026SenateCommittee of the Whole - Committee Report be adopted
3/16/2026SenateCommittee of the Whole - Be passed as amended
3/16/2026SenateCommittee Report recommending bill be passed as amended by Committee on Public Health and Welfare
3/11/2026SenateHearing: Wednesday, February 25, 2026, 8:30 AM Room 142-S
2/25/2026SenateReferred to Committee on Public Health and Welfare
2/12/2026SenateEngrossed on Tuesday, February 10, 2026
2/11/2026HouseFinal Action - Passed as amended; Yea: 121 Nay: 0
2/11/2026HouseReceived and Introduced
2/11/2026SenateCommittee of the Whole - Committee Report be adopted
2/10/2026HouseCommittee of the Whole - Be passed as amended
2/10/2026HouseCommittee Report recommending bill be passed as amended by Committee on Health and Human Services
2/6/2026HouseHearing: Wednesday, February 4, 2026, 1:30 PM Room 112-N
2/4/2026HouseIntroduced
1/23/2026HouseReferred to Committee on Health and Human Services
1/23/2026House
Bill Text
As Amended by House Committee
As Amended by Senate Committee
As introduced
Enrolled
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