Iowa House Bill HF255

Iowa 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/6/25
• Refer: 2/6/25

Caption

A bill for an act enacting the psychology interjurisdictional compact.

Summary

HF 255 enacts the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact, an interstate agreement that would let licensed psychologists provide services across state lines under defined conditions. The compact is designed to expand access to psychological care by allowing two main forms of cross-border practice: telepsychology, where a psychologist in one compact state treats a client located in another compact state, and temporary in-person practice in another compact state for up to 30 days per calendar year. It also creates a national compact commission to administer the agreement, adopt rules, coordinate licensure information, and oversee compliance among member states. To practice under the compact, psychologists must meet education, licensure, background-check, and reporting requirements, including holding an active home-state license, an E.Passport for telepsychology, or an IPC for temporary in-person practice. The compact requires participating states to share licensure, disciplinary, and investigatory information, and it gives receiving or distant states authority to limit or revoke practice privileges to protect public health and safety. The compact becomes effective only after seven states enact it, and states may later withdraw by repealing the compact with six months’ notice.

Impact

The bill would add a new chapter to Iowa law adopting the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact and binding Iowa to the compact’s rules once it becomes effective. It would affect Iowa’s psychology licensing and disciplinary framework by allowing Iowa-licensed psychologists to practice telepsychology and temporary in-person services in other compact states, while also allowing qualified out-of-state psychologists to serve Iowa clients under compact privileges. Iowa’s psychology regulatory authority would need to participate in interstate information sharing, complaint handling, and reporting of adverse actions and significant investigatory information, and Iowa would be subject to the compact commission’s rulemaking and enforcement structure.

Sentiment

The available record shows the bill was introduced and referred to the House Health and Human Services Committee, but there are no recorded committee transcripts or votes in the provided materials. Based on the bill’s structure and explanation, the measure appears to be framed as a public-access and professional-regulation bill, with an emphasis on expanding access to care while maintaining licensure standards and safety oversight. No formal opposition or support is documented in the supplied context.

Contention

The main policy tension in the bill is between expanding cross-state access to psychological services and preserving state control over licensure, discipline, and scope of practice. The compact addresses that by requiring home-state licensure, background checks, reporting obligations, and allowing receiving or distant states to restrict practice when necessary. Another potential point of contention is the creation of a multistate commission with rulemaking authority that has the force of law in member states, though the compact includes legislative rejection procedures, public notice, and hearing requirements. No specific stakeholder objections are recorded in the provided materials.