SHARE Act introduced in the Senate for the first time, reintroduced in the House

Bipartisan bill would ease burdens on interstate licensing compacts, benefiting occupational therapy practitioners

U.S. Representatives Tracey Mann (R-KS) and Joe Neguse (D-CO) reintroduced the States Handling Access to Reciprocity for Employment (SHARE) Act (H.R. 2332) in the House of Representatives. For the first time, Senators Peter Welch (D-VT), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), and Angus King (I-ME) introduced companion legislation in the Senate (S. 1101).

The SHARE Act addresses a technical barrier preventing interstate licensure compacts, such as the Occupational Therapy (OT) Compact, from operating in some states. Nearly all interstate licensure compacts require a background check by the FBI, however the authority to provide these were never updated since being granted in 1970.

AOTA led the initial effort to resolve this issue, which has since gained broad support across the health care community. The SHARE Act provides a solution not only for the OT Compact, but for all health care licensure compacts, including those for physicians and nurses. By providing the FBI with the clear authority to run background checks, the largest administrative barrier facing interstate licensure compacts would be eliminated. This small change would allow these compacts to help address the serious nationwide health care workforce shortage by allowing practitioners to provide services across multiple states, including through telehealth, particularly benefiting rural and underserved communities.

AOTA and a growing coalition of organizations support the legislation as a crucial step in strengthening the health care workforce and expanding access to vital services for all.