5-54.1-1. Short title.

The Physician Assistant Licensure Compact, hereinafter referred to as the “PA Licensure

Compact,” is hereby enacted into law and entered into by the State of Rhode Island with any and

all states legally joining therein in accordance with its terms.

29 5-54.1-2. Purpose.

In order to strengthen access to medical services, and in recognition of the advances in the

delivery of medical services, the participating states of the PA licensure compact have allied in

common purpose to develop a comprehensive process that complements the existing authority of

state licensing boards to license and discipline PAs and seeks to enhance the portability of a license

to practice as a PA while safeguarding the safety of patients. This compact allows medical services

to be provided by PAs, via the mutual recognition of the licensee’s qualifying license by other

compact participating states. This compact also adopts the prevailing standard for PA licensure and

affirms that the practice and delivery of medical services by the PA occurs where the patient is

located at the time of the patient encounter, and therefore requires the PA to be under the

jurisdiction of the state licensing board where the patient is located. State licensing boards that

participate in this compact retain the jurisdiction to impose adverse action against a compact

privilege in that state issued to a PA through the procedures of this compact. The PA licensure

compact will alleviate burdens for military families by allowing active duty military personnel and

their spouses to obtain a compact privilege based on having an unrestricted license in good standing

from a participating state.