WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Angus King (I-Maine) introduced the States Handling Access to Reciprocity for Employment (SHARE) Act, bipartisan legislation to improve interstate health care workforce licensing and improve access to care across America by cutting through red tape. Companion legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Reps. Tracey Mann (R-Kan.) and Joe Neguse (D-Colo.).

“Bureaucratic red tape is delaying critical healthcare workers from serving rural Tennessee, leaving working families without the timely treatment they need,” said Senator Blackburn. “The?SHARE Act delivers a commonsense reform by streamlining background check recognition across states, ensuring patients get proper care while showing Washington can work smarter for everyday people.” 

“There is no question that the health care industry is facing workforce shortages—and that’s especially true for rural states like Vermont. That's why it makes no sense that a licensing agency in Vermont can’t see the status of a background check, slowing down valuable time onboarding a new health care provider. The SHARE Act is a good-faith effort to cut through red tape in a commonsense way. This bill would remove a bureaucratic hoop and improve patients’ access to the health care they need while protecting their safety. It is important we find common ground on ways to make Washington work better for working families, which is why I’m pleased to partner with my colleague Senator Blackburn on this bill,” said Sen. Peter Welch. 

“No matter where you choose to live, you deserve access to quality health care — and boosting our medical workforce is a smart way to do that,” said Senator King. “Communities all across Maine — especially those in rural areas — are facing an unprecedented shortage of health care workers, making it difficult to deliver care. The bipartisan?SHARE Act?would address the health care workforce shortage by allowing health care workers in neighboring states to more easily serve patients across state lines.?This is a commonsense way to increase access via telehealth, streamline the hiring and onboarding processes, eliminating the bureaucratic red tape that stands between rural Maine people and their care providers.”

“We need flexibility in our health care systems to ensure rural communities like those in the Big First have access to good, quality care,” said Rep. Mann “As hospitals and care giving facilities across rural America navigate the challenges of recruiting and retaining health care providers, Congress should correct this technical error and remove processes that only make that challenge harder. Our bill expedites the licensure process for providers by allowing the FBI to share background checks across state lines and empower health care providers to serve rural communities where care is most needed without being handcuffed by where a state ends or begins. If we want to improve the health of those in the Big First, and in rural areas and communities around the country, we must expand employment opportunities for our rural health care providers.” 

The States Handling Access to Reciprocity for Employment (SHARE) Act amends existing federal law to authorize the FBI to conduct criminal background checks for state licensing agencies and reduce bureaucratic red tape, which can create a barrier to care. Many of these inter-state compacts (or legislatively enacted agreements between states) face a roadblock, as some state regulatory agencies have been denied, or had their authorization revoked, to obtain FBI criminal background checks for verification of a licensee’s eligibility.   

The legislation ensures criminal history record information is maintained in the same manner as requests for all occupational licenses handled at the state level. In accordance with how compact commissions already operate, the SHARE Act specifies that criminal history record information cannot be shared with any entity other than a state licensing agency which requests the criminal background check. 

The States Handling Access to Reciprocity for Employment (SHARE) Act is supported by the Alliance for Connected Care; American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA); American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) Tennessee;  American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA); Council of State Governments (CSG); EMS Compact; Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB); Interstate Commission of Nurse Licensure Compact Administrators (ICNLCA); Interstate Medical Licensure Compact Commission (IMLCC); National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN); Occupational Therapy Compact Commission; and Vermont Board of Medical Practice. 

“The Alliance for Connected Care believes that one of the most promising capabilities of telehealth is creating health care access where it is currently limited – including through more care across state lines.  We applaud the leaders of the SHARE Act for introducing legislation that would help to reduce barriers to this care,” said Chris Adamec, Executive Director, Alliance for Connected Care. 

“The American Academy of Physician Associates strongly supports the SHARE Act,” said AAPA CEO Lisa M. Gables, CPA.  “By removing the red tape and administrative burdens on licensure compacts, this legislation will promote workforce development and strengthen the labor market. It will also improve consumer access to highly qualified practitioners and leverage the use of new medical technologies, such as telehealth. The SHARE Act would have a major impact on increasing access to healthcare while allowing states to protect their authority to determine who is eligible to practice in the state.” 

“The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) strongly supports the SHARE Act. Occupational therapy practitioners are vital to helping individuals live independent, meaningful lives. The SHARE Act will allow practitioners to bring their expertise where it is needed most, ensuring timely access to care for patients and families. We applaud this legislation as a step toward a more flexible and modern healthcare system.” said Katie Jordan, OTD, OTR/L, FAOTA, CEO, AOTA.   

“APTA-Tennessee endorses the SHARE Act, and we hope the 119th Congress will approve this bipartisan legislation.  TheSHARE Act will provide Tennesseans in medically underserved areas with greater access to physical therapy care by ensuring that PTs and other healthcare providers are quickly enabled to treat patients in multiple states,” said Sarah Suddarth, APTA Tennessee President.   

“The Council of State Governments has worked to develop professional licensure compacts in coordination with numerous state, federal, and professional partners. These combined efforts have contributed to states gaining greater access to qualified professionals across the nation and the essential services they provide. 52 states and territories have enacted at least one of these compacts with each state enacting at least 6, on average. CSG recognizes the importance of passage of the SHARE Actto ensure states can fully operationalize the licensure compacts they have enacted. The states clearly realize the need for improved licensure portability and increasing their healthcare workforce and as a result recognize the importance of the SHARE Act. CSG stands in support of the SHARE Act and the efforts across the nation to ensure its successful passage by Congress,” said Dan Logsdon, Director, National Center for Interstate Compacts. 

“The EMS Compact strongly supports the SHARE Act as a critical measure to enhance public safety and strengthen the EMS workforce,” said Donnie Woodyard, MAML, NRP, Executive Director of the United States EMS Compact. “It is essential for public protection that state licensing officials have the ability to review criminal history records for all applicants. This fundamental safeguard ensures that only qualified and vetted EMS clinicians are entrusted with patient care, reinforcing the integrity and reliability of our nation’s emergency medical services.”  

“The Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) strongly supports the SHARE Act as a critical step toward addressing our nation's healthcare workforce shortage and enhancing patient access to care,” said Humayun J. Chaudhry, DO, MACP, President and CEO of FSMB. “The SHARE Act will ensure state medical boards have the information necessary to make licensing decisions and support the interstate practice of medicine.” 

“The Interstate Commission of Nurse Licensure Compact Administrators (ICNLCA) encourages enactment of the SHARE Act. The Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) enables nurses in compact states to hold a multi-state license which authorizes practice in 43 jurisdictions currently.  This model of licensure makes it possible for nurses to assist in other jurisdictions without any impediments or delays,” said Pam Zickafoose, EdD, MSN, RN, Chair of ICNLCA. “Federal criminal background checks are the gold standard for public protection in occupational licensure and are a requirement for a nurse to obtain a multistate license. The SHARE Act will enable states to continue to implement and advance the NLC, therefore bringing vital nursing services to patients in need,” said the Interstate Commission of Nurse Licensure Compact Administrators (ICNLCA). 

The Interstate Medical Licensure Compact Commission (IMLCC) strongly supports the SHARE Act. The Act is needed so that the FBI will have clear guidance about how the information provided enhances public safety, while supporting the public protection mission of the IMLCC member boards.  Our member boards depend on reliable access to the criminal background information, which at times in the past and currently for 4 of our member boards, that access has been denied.  Our member boards have been maintaining and protecting the information they receive for over 7 years,” said the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact Commission (IMLCC). 

“The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) stands in strong support of the SHARE Act and looks forward to the 119th Congress's consideration of this important legislation. The SHARE Act represents a critical step forward in facilitating greater access to care for patients across the country,” said Phil Dickison, PhD, RN, Chief Executive Officer of NCSBN. “The legislation will ensure state boards of nursing can vet applicants for multistate licensure to promote safe cross-border practice.” 

“The Occupational Therapy Compact Commission (OTCC) supports the SHARE Act because it is a crucial step toward ensuring public safety across states that participate in interstate occupational compacts.  This act fosters a more secure and trustworthy collaboration while strengthening the integrity of professional licensing, promoting accountability, and protecting citizens from potential harm.  For the purposes of making informed licensing decisions, state licensing authorities should be afforded timely and relevant information regarding potential licensees' criminal history that would affect safe practices within professions,” said Amanda Perry, OTCC Executive Director. 

“Passage of the SHARE Act will benefit both physicians and patients by supporting greater mobility for physicians and expanding access to care for all Vermonters, especially those in our rural communities.” said David K. Herlihy, Executive Director, Vermont Board of Medical Practice. 

Learn more about the States Handling Access to Reciprocity for Employment (SHARE) Act. 

View and download the bill text.