(1) Upon application for multistate licensure, with the exception of renewal by a nurse, a party state shall query the Coordinated Licensure Information System to ascertain the applicant's current licensure status, previous disciplinary action(s), and member board notifications related to current participation in an alternative program or current significant investigative information.
(2) Upon discovery that an applicant is under investigation in another party state, the party state in receipt of the nurse licensure application shall contact the investigating party state and may request investigative documents and information.
History: Adopted December 12, 2017; effective January 19, 2018, amended August 15, 2023, effective January 2, 2024.
203: PARTICIPATION IN COORDINATED LICENSURE INFORMATION SYSTEM
All party states shall participate in a coordinated licensure information system of all licensed registered nurses and licensed practical/vocational nurses. Such participation includes participation in all of the following components:
(1) Licensure information, which includes the Uniform Data Set as described in Rule 201(1); and
(2) Submission of disciplinary history of each nurse, including information regarding adverse actions taken against a license, application, and/or multistate licensure privilege; and
(3) Participation in the license verification service for endorsement.
History: Adopted August 15, 2023, effective January 2, 2024.
SECTION 300. IMPLEMENTATION
301. IMPLEMENTATION
The Compact was implemented on January 19, 2018.
History: Adopted December 12, 2017; effective January 19, 2018, amended August 15, 2023, effective January 2, 2024.
302. LEGACY CLAUSE
(1) A nurse who held a multistate license as of July 20, 2017, whose multistate license remained unencumbered as of the January 19, 2018 implementation, and who retained that multistate license, was not required to meet the new requirements for a multistate license under this Compact.
(2) A nurse who retained a multistate license pursuant to subsection (1) of this section and who changes primary state of residence after January 19, 2018, must meet all applicable Article III (c) requirements to obtain a multistate license from a new primary state of residence.
(3) A nurse whose multistate license is revoked or deactivated may be eligible for a single state license in accordance with the laws of the party state.
History: Adopted December 12, 2017; effective January 19, 2018, amended August 15, 2023, effective January 2, 2024.
303. IMPLEMENTATION BY NEW PARTY STATES
(1) The Executive Director shall notify party states within fifteen (15) calendar days after a new party state enacts the Compact.
(2) The new party state shall establish an implementation date within twelve (12) months from enactment, or as specified in the enabling language, and shall notify the Executive Director of the date.
(3) Upon implementation, a licensee who holds a single state license in the new party state and holds a multistate license in the home state, may retain the single state license until it lapses, expires or becomes inactive.
(4) At least ninety (90) calendar days prior to the new party state implementation date, party states shall notify any active single state licensee with an address in the new party state that the licensee may only hold one multistate license in the primary state of residence. The licensee shall be advised to obtain or maintain a multistate license only from the primary state of residence.
(5) Each party state shall deactivate a multistate license when a new home state issues a multistate license.
History: Adopted December 12, 2017; effective January 19, 2018, amended August 15, 2023, effective January 2, 2024.
SECTION 400. LICENSURE
401. PARTY STATE RESPONSIBILITIES
(1) On all application forms for multistate licensure, a party state shall require, at a minimum:
(a) A declaration of a primary state of residence and
(b) Whether the applicant is a current participant in an alternative program.
(2) (a) An applicant for licensure who is determined to be ineligible for a multistate license shall be notified by the home state of the qualifications not met.
(b) The home state may issue a single state license pursuant to its laws.
(3) A remote party state shall not issue a single state license to a nurse who holds a multistate license.
History: Adopted December 12, 2017; effective January 19, 2018, amended August 15, 2023, effective January 2, 2024.
402. MULTISTATE APPLICANT RESPONSIBILITIES
(1) On all application forms for multistate licensure in a party state, an applicant shall declare a primary state of residence.
(2) A multistate licensee who changes primary state of residence to another party state shall apply for a multistate license in the new party state within 60 days.
(3) A party state may require an applicant to provide evidence of residence in the declared primary state of residence. This evidence may include, but is not limited to, a current:
(a) driver's license with a home address;
(b) voter registration card with a home address;
(c) federal income tax return with a primary state of residence declaration;
(d) military form no. 2058 (state of legal residence certificate); or
(e) W2 form from the United States government or any bureau, division, or agency thereof, indicating residence.
(4) A nurse shall not apply for a single state license in a remote state while the nurse holds a multistate license in their primary state of residence.
(5) An applicant who is a citizen of a foreign country, and who is lawfully present in the United States and is applying for multistate licensure in a party state may declare either the applicant's country of origin or the party state where they are living as the primary state of residence. If the applicant declares the foreign country as the primary state of residence, the party state shall not issue a multistate license, but may issue a single state license if the applicant meets the party state's licensure requirements.
(6) An applicant shall disclose current participation in an alternative program to any party state, whether upon initial application or within ten (10) calendar days of enrollment in the program.
History: Adopted December 12, 2017; effective January 19, 2018, amended August 15, 2023, effective January 2, 2024.
403. CHANGE IN PRIMARY STATE OF RESIDENCE
(1) A nurse who changes his or her primary state of residence from one party state to another party state may continue to practice under the existing multistate license while the nurse's application is processed and a multistate license is issued in the new primary state of residence.
(2) Upon issuance of a new multistate license, the former primary state of residence shall deactivate its multistate license held by the nurse and provide notice to the nurse.
(3) If a party state verifies that a licensee who holds a multistate license changes primary state of residence to a non-party state, the party state shall convert the multistate license to a single state license within fifteen (15) calendar days, and report this conversion to the Coordinated Licensure Information System.
History: Adopted December 12, 2017; effective January 19, 2018.
404. TEMPORARY PERMITS AND LICENSES
A temporary permit, license, or similar temporary authorization to practice issued by a party state to an applicant for licensure shall not grant multistate licensure privileges.
History: Adopted December 12, 2017; effective January 19, 2018.
405. IDENTIFICATION OF LICENSES
A party state shall clearly identify a license as either a single state license or a multistate license.
History: Adopted December 12, 2017; effective January 19, 2018, amended August 15, 2023, effective January 2, 2024.
History: Rules 406 and 407 retired August 15, 2023, effective January 2, 2024.
408. FEDERAL CRIMINAL RECORDS
Communication between a party state and the Commission and communication between party states regarding verification of the nurse's eligibility for licensure pursuant to the Compact shall not include any Criminal History Record Information (CHRI) received from the Federal Bureau of Investigation relating to a federal criminal records check performed by a member board under Public Law 92-544.
History: Adopted August 11, 2020; effective January 1, 2021, amended August 15, 2023, effective January 2, 2024.
409. ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY PERSONNEL OR THEIR SPOUSE
An active duty service member, or the member's spouse, shall designate a primary state of residence where the service member or spouse has a current license in good standing. The service member or spouse may retain the primary state of residence designation during the period the service member is on active duty. Subsequent to designating a primary state of residence, the service member or spouse shall only change the primary state of residence through application for licensure in the new primary state of residence.
History: Adopted August 11, 2020; effective January 1, 2021, amended August 15, 2023, effective January 2, 2024.
SECTION 500. ADMINISTRATION
501. DUES ASSESSMENT
(1) The Commission shall determine the annual assessment to be paid by party states. The assessment formula is a flat fee per party state. The Commission shall provide public notice of any proposed revision to the annual assessment fee at least ninety (90) calendar days prior to the Commission meeting to consider the proposed revision.
(2) The annual assessment shall be due within the Commission's first fiscal year after a new party state's implementation date and annually thereafter.
History: Adopted December 12, 2017; effective January 19, 2018, amended August 15, 2023, effective January 2, 2024.
502. DISPUTE RESOLUTION
(1) In the event that two or more party states have a dispute, the parties shall attempt resolution following the steps set out in this rule.
(2) The parties shall first attempt informal resolution. The Compact Administrators in the states involved shall contact each other. Each Compact Administrator shall submit a written statement describing the situation to the other Compact Administrators involved in the dispute. Each Compact Administrator may submit a response. The submission of the statement and the response shall be in a mutually agreed upon time. If the dispute is related to an interpretation of the Compact, the parties shall contact the Executive Director to request assistance from the Executive Committee. If all issues are resolved, no further action is required. If any issue remains unresolved, the parties shall notify the Executive Committee, through the Executive Director, to request mediation and provide the Executive Committee with a concise statement of unresolved issue(s) and analysis including references to NLC statutes, rules and any supporting documents. The Executive Committee may refer the matter to the Compliance Committee. After review by the Compliance Committee, its recommendations will be sent to the parties and the Executive Committee for further review.
Amended August 11, 2020; effective January 1, 2021; amended August 15, 2023, effective January 2, 2024.
(3) (a) A party state that has a dispute with one or more other party states, and informal resolution was unsuccessful, shall attempt mediation. Mediation shall be conducted by a mediator appointed by the Executive Committee from a list of mediators approved by the National Association of Certified Mediators or as agreed to by all parties. If all issues are resolved through mediation, no further action is required. If mediation is unsuccessful, the parties shall submit to binding dispute resolution.
(b) The costs of mediation shall be shared by all party states involved.
(c) All party state Compact Administrators shall be notified of all issues and disputes that rise to the mediation stage in order to comment on those matters and disputes that may impact all party states.
(4) (a) In the event of a dispute between party states that was not resolved through informal resolution or mediation, the party states shall submit to binding dispute resolution. The parties may choose binding dispute resolution either by submitting the question in dispute to the Commission for final action or by arbitration.
(b) All party states involved shall agree in order to proceed with arbitration. In the absence of agreement, the matter shall be referred to the Commission for final determination.
(c) Each party state involved shall be responsible for its own respective expenses, including attorney fees.
(d) The party state Compact Administrators involved in the dispute shall recuse themselves from consideration or voting by the full Commission.
History: Adopted August 14, 2018; effective January 1, 2019, amended August 15, 2023, effective January 2, 2024.
503. COMPLIANCE AND ENFORCEMENT
(1) Compliance and enforcement issues shall be initiated by the Executive Committee.
(2) The Executive Committee, through the Executive Director, shall send a written statement to the Compact Administrator in the party state with the alleged non-compliance issue. That Compact Administrator shall respond to the written statement within thirty calendar days.
(3) The Compact Administrator may appear before the Executive Committee at a time and place as designated by the Executive Committee.
(4) The Executive Committee shall make a recommendation to the Commission concerning the issue of non-compliance.
History: Adopted August 14, 2018; effective January 1, 2019; amended August 15, 2023, effective January 2, 2024.
