A new Alabama law changes who can work under interstate PA licensure—and it affects how salons and personal care businesses hire healthcare professionals.
Most salon and personal care business owners in Alabama don't realize that a provision buried in a new state law directly affects how they can hire and credential physician assistants (PAs) who work across state lines.
Here's what changed: Alabama's HB156, which establishes an interstate licensure compact for physician assistants, includes a requirement that any PA practicing under the compact privilege must have zero felony or misdemeanor convictions. That's it—one conviction of any kind disqualifies a PA from holding compact privilege.
If your salon or personal care practice employs or contracts with a PA—whether full-time, part-time, or on a temporary basis—and that PA relies on interstate compact privilege to practice across state lines, you need to understand this rule.
Under Section 4(a)(3) of HB156 (found on Page 6 of the bill), the compact explicitly bars PAs with any felony or misdemeanor conviction from holding compact privilege. This isn't about background checks for general employment; it's a specific credentialing requirement that directly affects whether a PA can legally practice under the compact.
What does this mean in practice? When you're vetting a PA candidate or contractor, you can't simply rely on their existing license or credentials from another state. You must verify that they have no felony or misdemeanor convictions on record. If they do, they cannot hold compact privilege in Alabama, even if they're licensed elsewhere.
This affects your hiring and credentialing decisions in three ways: First, it narrows your candidate pool for multi-state staffing arrangements. Second, it requires you to add a specific background check step focused on criminal convictions—not just general criminal history, but specifically felonies and misdemeanors. Third, it creates potential liability if you employ a PA under compact privilege without confirming their conviction status.
For small healthcare practices and salons offering medical services, this is a practical staffing issue. If you've relied on interstate compact privilege to bring in PA talent flexibly, you now have a hard legal boundary: zero convictions allowed.
The law becomes effective October 1, 2026, according to Section 14 of HB156. That gives you time to review your current staffing arrangements and update your hiring and credentialing procedures before the deadline.
Between now and October 2026, if you employ or contract with any PAs, it's worth auditing your current arrangements. Confirm that anyone working under interstate compact privilege meets this standard. If you're planning to hire a PA, build this verification step into your credentialing process now, so you're ready when the law takes effect.
The interstate compact itself is designed to make it easier for PAs to practice across state lines—but this criminal conviction requirement is a significant gate. It's not negotiable, and it's not something a PA can waive or work around.
For a detailed, business-specific guide to HB156's requirements and how to update your hiring practices, contact your local chamber of commerce or trade association—many have prepared free resources for salon and personal care owners navigating this change.