House Bill 447 establishes the Respiratory Care Interstate Compact, designed to facilitate the practice of respiratory therapy across member states while maintaining each state's regulatory authority to protect public health and safety. The bill allows licensed respiratory therapists to practice in other member states and includes provisions for criminal background checks for applicants, requiring fingerprint submissions for both state and federal checks. The compact will be overseen by the Respiratory Care Interstate Compact Commission, which is responsible for rulemaking, ensuring transparency, and maintaining compliance among member states. Notably, the bill removes the immediate effective date clause, replacing it with a contingent effective date that activates the compact once enacted by the seventh member state.

The legislation also outlines the governance structure of the commission, including voting procedures, meeting requirements, and the establishment of an executive committee to manage daily operations. It mandates the creation of a data system for tracking licensure and adverse actions against licensees, while ensuring the confidentiality of certain sensitive information. The commission is empowered to initiate legal action against defaulting states and to revise previously adopted rules, with a 30-day challenge period for material changes. Overall, the bill aims to enhance the regulation and oversight of respiratory therapy practices while ensuring that existing state laws remain intact.