Arizona Becomes 22nd Compact State in Second RHTP-driven Win for PAs
February 24, 2026
Arizona has officially become the 22nd state to enact legislation (HB2190/SB1238) joining the PA Licensure Compact and fulfilling a promise the state made in its application for Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) funds.
Arizona and multiple other states signaled their intention to enact the PA compact and PA practice modernizations in their RHTP applications as a result of the profession’s unwavering advocacy over the years. In many states, the implementation of the RHTP is giving efforts to modernize PA practice laws the added push to get legislation across the finish line.
AAPA commends the Arizona State Association of PAs for its leadership, partnership, and commitment to seeing this effort through. AAPA also thanks the members of the Arizona Legislature for recognizing the importance of licensure modernization in strengthening access to care across the state, and Governor Katie Hobbs for delivering on Arizona’s commitment to enact the PA Licensure Compact.
This marks the second RHTP-driven legislative win for PAs and is a significant step forward in expanding licensure portability for physician associates (PAs) and strengthening the healthcare workforce nationwide.
With the bill now signed into law, Arizona joins a rapidly growing number of states committed to modernizing licensure frameworks to better reflect how healthcare is delivered today.
The PA Licensure Compact allows eligible PAs to obtain a compact privilege to practice in other participating states without applying for and maintaining multiple, separate licenses. The model is designed to reduce administrative burden, accelerate workforce mobility, and improve access to care.
Like many states, Arizona continues to face provider shortages, and joining the compact positions Arizona to be more competitive in recruiting and retaining clinicians while also enabling faster deployment of PAs in response to population growth, public health emergencies, regional workforce demands, and more.
“Arizona’s adoption of the PA Licensure Compact represents a meaningful step forward for our profession and, more importantly, for the patients we serve,” said Clay Walker, PA-C, President of the Arizona State Association of Physician Assistants. “As a border state with both urban and rural healthcare needs, Arizona stands to benefit significantly from increased workforce mobility and reduced administrative barriers to practice. The Compact strengthens our ability to respond to workforce shortages, public health emergencies, and evolving patient needs while maintaining high standards for licensure and patient safety. For Arizona PAs, this is about modernizing licensure in a way that reflects how healthcare is delivered today, flexible, collaboratively, and increasingly interconnected across state lines.”
As the PA Compact continues to gain momentum nationwide, the development of the required operational infrastructure remains underway through the PA Compact Commission. This critical step, expected to be complete in early 2027, must be complete before compact privileges can be issued to individual PAs.
Additional states are expected to take up compact legislation this legislative session, driven in part by new incentives tied to the federal RHTP, which recognizes the PA Licensure Compact as a rural workforce-strengthening strategy. Currently, 11 states are actively considering bills to join the PA Licensure Compact this year, and already in 2026, North Dakota and New Jersey have enacted compact legislation, signaling that states are moving quickly to remain competitive.
You May Also Like
What’s at Stake: Fighting for PA Access to Student Loans
Advocacy in Action: Momentum Continues
Physicians, Nurses, and Healthcare Leaders Rally Behind Legislation to Improve Maine’s PA Practice Environment
