In an effort to continue cultivating regionalism in Greater Louisville and supporting the growth of our health care sector, GLI Advocacy recently submitted a letter in support of Indiana joining the Nurse Licensure Compact. In case you’re not familiar, the Nurse Licensure Compact, or NLC, establishes a multi-state nursing license, allowing nurses to operate across state lines without having to obtain a dual license—as long as both states are members of the compact. The NLC would go a long way in relieving regulatory and administrative burdens on businesses in our region, give health care providers more flexibility to address workforce needs, and increase access to care—all while maintaining important public protections at the state level.  

Because Kentucky is already one of 30 NLC member states, passage of the compact in Indiana would create a seamless licensure process in our region to the benefit of providers and patients alike in both states.

In the 2018 legislative session, the Indiana General Assembly took an important step forward in bringing the Hoosier state closer to joining the compact. The legislature passed House Bill 1317, authored by Representative Ed Clere (District 72 – Floyd County), to authorize a study of the NLC in the 2018-2019 interim. GLI strongly supports full passage of the NLC in Indiana in the 2019 session.

Read our full letter of support below and learn more about GLI’s bi-state priorities here.

Greater Louisville Inc., the voice of more than 1,500 businesses in Southern Indiana and Kentucky, urges your support of the enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). By authorizing nurses to practice across state lines, passage of the NLC in Indiana would help to alleviate regulatory and administrative burdens on businesses, empower health care providers to address workforce needs, and increase accessibility to care, while maintaining public protection at the state level.

GLI is a bi-state chamber of commerce and economic development organization representing a growing business community in 15 counties in Southern Indiana and Kentucky. In Indiana, we serve Clark, Floyd, Harrison, Scott and Washington counties. Our regional partnership includes One Southern Indiana, and our bi-state cooperation has grown exponentially in recent years, with a shared focus on identifying ways to promote regionalism and accelerate economic growth on both sides of the Ohio River.

A vital part of our regional economy in Greater Louisville is our growing health care sector. Louisville is home to the nation’s largest concentration of aging care companies, with nearly $50 billion in revenue. In addition, many of Southern Indiana’s largest health providers are now associated with organizations across the river. As we work to position our bi-state region to be at the forefront of our nation’s health care solutions, it is crucial that regional health care companies and providers have the flexibility they need to operate as effectively and efficiently as possible.

Passage of the NLC in Indiana would be a significant step forward in achieving this goal and would immediately bring multiple benefits to Hoosiers. Bi-state providers and practitioners would have less regulatory and administrative burdens to deal with. Health care companies would have more flexibility in how they confront workforce shortages. Care would become more accessible for individuals receiving in-home services and patients living in rural and underserved communities. All of these features, in addition to the safeguards built into the licensing process, will help elevate Indiana into modern health care delivery.

Kentucky health care companies and practitioners can already attest to the benefits of participation in the NLC. It’s one of 30 NLC member states. We strongly encourage Indiana to follow suit so that bi-state regions like ours can continue growing our economies and developing vital industry sectors such as health care.