# Pennsylvania HB 1961: An Act authorizing the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to join the PA Licensure Compact; providing for the form of the compact; and imposing additional powers and duties on the Governor, the Secretary of . . . the Commonwealth and the PA Licensure Compact. Pennsylvania HB 1961, An Act authorizing the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to join the PA Licensure Compact; providing for the form of the compact; and imposing additional powers and duties on the Governor, the Secretary of . . . the Commonwealth and the PA Licensure Compact., is a 2025-2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Robert E. Merski (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-10-22 (Act No. 76 of 2026); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-11-04). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/PA-HB1961-2025-2026 - As of: 2026-11-04 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Pennsylvania HB 1961 - State: Pennsylvania - Session: 2025-2026 Regular Session - Title: An Act authorizing the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to join the PA Licensure Compact; providing for the form of the compact; and imposing additional powers and duties on the Governor, the Secretary of . . . the Commonwealth and the PA Licensure Compact. - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2025-10-17 - Last action: 2026-10-22, Act No. 76 of 2026 - Sponsor: Robert E. Merski (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 18 - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 8 (568 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 7 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - PA privileges continue during withdrawal: benefit, low. If a state is terminated from the compact, affected PAs generally keep their privileges there for 180 days. When a state withdraws, withdrawal takes effect 180 days after it enacts a repeal, and compact privileges continue during the transition. A PA may keep privileges in other participating state… - Possible compact fees for PAs: cost, low. Participating states may charge a fee for granting a PA compact privilege. The Commission may also charge PAs when other revenue does not cover its approved budget. If a PA ends a qualifying license early and has another qualifying license, the PA must notify the Commission and pay any fee required… - More states open to PA practice: mixed, medium. Pennsylvania joins a compact that lets eligible physician assistants practice in other participating states. PAs need an unrestricted qualifying license, approved education, current national certification, and a Commission identifier. Participating states must use shared background checks, licensin… - Discipline can suspend PA privileges: mixed, low. The state that issued a PA’s qualifying license handles action against that license. A remote state can investigate and act against the PA’s privilege in that state. A license restriction deactivates privileges in all remote states while it lasts and for two years after it ends. A state may recover… - Commission staff get legal protection: mixed, low. Commission members, officers, staff, and representatives receive protection from civil liability for covered acts within their duties. The Commission must defend them and pay covered settlements or judgments tied to those duties. These protections do not cover intentional, willful, or wanton miscon… - States share PA licensing records: mixed, low. The Commission runs a shared system for PA licenses, denials, adverse actions, and significant investigation information. Participating states must submit required records, but must leave out criminal-history details when the law bars disclosure. Significant investigation information is available o… - Commission sets binding PA rules: mixed, low. The law creates a Commission to run the compact and give its rules legal force in participating states. Existing Commission rules take effect in Pennsylvania when the compact becomes law there. A court can limit a rule that conflicts with state law on PA services, and a majority of participating st… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Robert E. Merski (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Benjamin V. Sanchez (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Carol Hill-Evans (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Dan Frankel (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Frank Burns (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Gina H. Curry (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Greg Scott (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Jacklyn Rusnock (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Joseph C. Hohenstein (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Keith S. Harris (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Lisa A. Borowski (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Liz Hanbidge (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Malcolm Kenyatta (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Melissa L. Shusterman (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Nikki Rivera (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Patrick J. Harkins (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Steve Samuelson (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Tarik Khan (Democratic), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-10-20 | Senate | House Bill 1961 PN2870, Final Passage | pass | 50 | 0 | | | 2026-07-10 | committee | 22 0 | pass | 22 | 0 | | | 2026-02-04 | committee | 14 0 | pass | 14 | 0 | | | 2026-02-04 | committee | 14 0 | pass | 14 | 0 | | | 2025-11-17 | House | House Bill 1961 PN2551, FINAL PASSAGE | pass | 202 | 0 | | | 2025-11-17 | committee | 37 0 | pass | 37 | 0 | | | 2025-10-29 | House | House Bill 1961 PN2470 A01927 | pass | 203 | 0 | | | 2025-10-28 | committee | 26 0 | pass | 26 | 0 | | ## Actions (24) - 2026-10-22: Act No. 76 of 2026 (Governor) - 2026-10-22: Approved by the Governor (Governor) - 2026-10-22: Presented to the Governor (House) - 2026-10-22: Signed in Senate (House) - 2026-10-21: Signed in House (House) - 2026-10-21: House concurred in Senate amendments (203-0) (House) - 2026-10-21: Re-reported on concurrence, as committed (House) - 2026-10-21: Referred to Rules (House) - 2026-10-20: Third consideration and final passage (50-0) (Senate) - 2026-07-11: Second consideration (Senate) - 2026-07-10: Re-reported as committed (Senate) - 2026-05-05: Re-referred to Appropriations (Senate) - 2026-02-04: First consideration (Senate) - 2026-02-04: Reported as amended (Senate) - 2025-11-24: Referred to Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure (Senate) - 2025-11-17: Third consideration and final passage (202-0) (House) - 2025-11-17: Re-reported as committed (House) - 2025-10-29: Re-committed to Appropriations (House) - 2025-10-29: Second consideration, with amendments (House) - 2025-10-28: Removed from table (House) - 2025-10-28: Laid on the table (House) - 2025-10-28: First consideration (House) - 2025-10-28: Reported as committed (House) - 2025-10-17: Referred to Professional Licensure (House) ## Bill text - PN 2870, 2026-02-04: [HTML](https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/text/HTM/2025/0/HB1961/PN2870), [PDF](https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/text/PDF/2025/0/HB1961/PN2870), [PDF](https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/text/DOC/2025/0/HB1961/PN2870) - PN 2551, 2025-10-29: [HTML](https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/text/HTM/2025/0/HB1961/PN2551), [PDF](https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/text/DOC/2025/0/HB1961/PN2551), [PDF](https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/text/PDF/2025/0/HB1961/PN2551) - PN 2470, 2025-10-17: [HTML](https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/text/HTM/2025/0/HB1961/PN2470), [PDF](https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/text/DOC/2025/0/HB1961/PN2470), [PDF](https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/text/PDF/2025/0/HB1961/PN2470) ## Related bills - HB 2545: An Act providing for insurance coverage for vaginal estrogen for the treatment of menopausal symptoms and urinary tract infections. (passed house) - HB 1827: An Act providing for medical assistance coverage and insurance coverage of screening, prevention and treatment measures for osteoporosis as a result of menopau… (passed house) - HB 2826: An Act amending Title 40 (Insurance) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for firefighter cancer screening and for firefighter cancer screening… (passed house) - HB 2023: An Act amending the act of April 6, 1951 (P.L.69, No.20), known as The Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, in recovery of possession, further providing for hearin… (passed house) - HB 1345: An Act amending the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), known as the Human Services Code, in public assistance, providing for medical assistance coverage for… (passed house) - HB 1346: An Act amending the act of May 17, 1921 (P.L.682, No.284), known as The Insurance Company Law of 1921, in casualty insurance, providing for menopause treatment… (passed house) ## Sources - [PN 2870 (HTML)](https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/text/HTM/2025/0/HB1961/PN2870) - [PN 2870 (PDF)](https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/text/PDF/2025/0/HB1961/PN2870) - [PN 2870 (PDF)](https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/text/DOC/2025/0/HB1961/PN2870) - [PN 2551 (HTML)](https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/text/HTM/2025/0/HB1961/PN2551) - [PN 2551 (PDF)](https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/text/DOC/2025/0/HB1961/PN2551) - [PN 2551 (PDF)](https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/text/PDF/2025/0/HB1961/PN2551) - [PN 2470 (HTML)](https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/text/HTM/2025/0/HB1961/PN2470) - [PN 2470 (PDF)](https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/text/DOC/2025/0/HB1961/PN2470) - [PN 2470 (PDF)](https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/text/PDF/2025/0/HB1961/PN2470) ## Related - [HB 2545: An Act providing for insurance coverage for vaginal estrogen for the treatment…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/PA-HB2545-2025-2026) - [HB 1827: An Act providing for medical assistance coverage and insurance coverage of scre…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/PA-HB1827-2025-2026) - [HB 2826: An Act amending Title 40 (Insurance) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes,…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/PA-HB2826-2025-2026) - [HB 2023: An Act amending the act of April 6, 1951 (P.L.69, No.20), known as The Landlord…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/PA-HB2023-2025-2026) - [HB 1345: An Act amending the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), known as the Human Se…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/PA-HB1345-2025-2026) - [HB 1346: An Act amending the act of May 17, 1921 (P.L.682, No.284), known as The Insuran…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/PA-HB1346-2025-2026) - [Pennsylvania bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/pennsylvania/bills) - [Pennsylvania state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/pennsylvania) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/PA-HB1961-2025-2026 (as of 2026-11-04).