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Licensing Compacts

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Key Message

Many military spouse professionals must relicense each time they move to a new state with their active-duty spouse. States can facilitate the ability of professionals, including military spouses, to work across state lines by enacting occupational licensure interstate compacts.

Analysis

Occupational licensure compacts provide consistent rules for licensed practitioners to work in other states. The military provisions added to most of these compacts assist military spouses to establish a home state where they hold a license and the privilege to practice in all other compact-member states.

Insights

The Defense-State Liaison Office assists national state boards and membership associations in educating legislators on the benefits of their licensure compacts to the military community. The DSLO is currently assisting with the following compacts: Nurse Licensure, Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Emergency Medical Services, Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact, Counseling Compact, Audiology and Speech-Language-Hearing Interstate Compact. The following compacts are expected to be available for the 2023 legislative session: Teaching, Social Work, Cosmetology, Dentistry/Dental Hygiene, Massage Therapy, School Psychologists, Dietetic Nutritionists.

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