New Legislative Database Tracks Health Workforce Trends

The health workforce remains a priority across state legislatures amid worker shortages and distribution challenges nationwide.

To understand state legislative actions on the health workforce, NCSL launched the Health Workforce Legislation Database. The new resource, which is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration, includes enacted legislation across all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and the territories.

At least 44 states, the district and Puerto Rico enacted more than 524 bills relating to the health workforce in 2024. (See the chart below for a breakdown of those bills by health care specialty.)

NCSL's new database tracks enacted bills across several professions, including behavioral health, long-term care, maternal health, nursing, oral health and primary care. Behavioral health remains a priority for many states, making up nearly one-third of enacted health workforce bills.

States also use several policy levers to address health workforce topics including licensure and certification, scope of practice, education and training, and recruitment and retention. All these topics are captured in the new database; for example, at least 42 states and the district enacted 260 bills relating to licensure and certification this year, including temporary or provisional licenses and licensure portability measures.

For additional resources on health workforce topics, visit NCSL's Health Care Workforce Resource Center.

Kelsie George is a senior policy specialist in NCSL's Health Program.