Mass Senior Care is pleased to report that Governor Healey also signed into the law a provision adding the Commonwealth to the national Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) which is vital to continued efforts to address the nursing workforce shortage. Massachusetts will join 41 other states and U.S. jurisdictions that have adopted the Compact allowing qualified nurses to hold one multistate license with the ability to practice in all other compact states, eliminating the arduous re-licensure process. With passage of the NLC, Massachusetts health care employers will be able to attract nurses licensed in border states – all but New York are NLC members. MSCA strongly advocated for the NLC as it is vital to reducing the 2,500 vacancies for licensed nurses in nursing facilities. The bill also includes another important workforce provision that creates a pathway in Massachusetts for physicians previously authorized to practice medicine outside the United States to practice in an underserved region of the Commonwealth. Mass Senior Care extends our sincere appreciation to Governor Healey and the entire Legislature for enacting into law these significantly impactful workforce provisions.