Secretary of State Jim Condos Issues Statement on Membership in the Nurse Licensure Compact

February 01 2022

Montpelier, VT – Today Vermont Secretary of State Jim announced the activation of Vermont’s membership in the Nurse Licensure Compact, which will help address workforce capacity shortages in nursing fields while increasing mobility options for nurses looking to become employed in Vermont.

“Effective today, Vermont is among 38 other states as a member of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing’s Nursing Licensure Compact,” Condos said. “The Compact provides mobility to nurses from the other 38 member states to enter into practice in Vermont without additional licensure requirements.

Additionally, the Nursing Compact aligns with our goal to reduce barriers to licensure while ensuring public protection. Finally, the Compact enables rapid onboarding of vetted, competent nurses from other states into Vermont health care facilities at a time when the need has never been greater.”

Since being passed into law in June of 2021, staff at the Office of Professional Regulation (OPR), a division of the Secretary of State’s office, have been upgrading systems, processes, and policies to ensure the successful launch of multistate licenses.

“This has been the culmination of many years of planning” said S. Lauren Hibbert, Director of OPR. “The systems implemented by the OPR staff in the past six months have been designed not only to ensure compliance with Statute but also to provide licensees with a user-friendly experience. Our website has been updated to include information for licensees, employers and members of the public regarding the benefits, rules and requirements of multistate licensure.”

After working with the legislature, the Nursing Licensure Compact was authorized by revisions to 26 V.S.A. §1647 and enacted into law June 2021. For more information on the Nursing Licensure Compact visit the Secretary of State’s website.

About the Office of Professional Regulation: OPR, a Division of the Secretary of State’s Office, administers 50 professional licensing programs and issues approximately 80,000 credentials to individuals doing business and living in Vermont. OPR verifies applicants are qualified for licensure, sets standards for professions by proposing statutes and adopting administrative rules, and investigates complaints of unprofessional conduct, taking disciplinary action when necessary. More information can be found at https://sos.vermont.gov/opr