Senate committee unanimously approves interstate compact for physician assistants

A Georgia Senate committee unanimously voted to report favorably on House Bill 1295, an interstate compact intended to make it easier for physician assistants licensed in compact member states to obtain Georgia privileges.

Representative Cooper described the measure as similar to other health-care compacts used during the pandemic and said it will ease licensing for practitioners who are licensed in good standing in compact states. A staff member told the committee 22 states are already participating in the compact structure and that an associated data-center and system are being developed, with an anticipated implementation in 2027; the bill's effective date in the draft is July 2027.

Senator Albers described the compact as codifying a process that streamlined care during the pandemic. The committee approved the substitute (LC 461472S as offered) without recorded opposition; members said they would identify a Senate sponsor and notify the secretary of the Senate the next morning.

What happens next: Sponsor to confirm the Senate carrier; administrative work on implementation systems and rulemaking will continue ahead of the compact's operational date.

Sources and evidence: Sponsor testimony, staff estimates of participating states and implementation timeline, and the committee's unanimous voice vote are recorded in the transcript.