HCS HBs 348, 285 & 407 Coleman, Jeff Committee
HCS HBs 348, 285 & 407 -- INTERSTATE MEDICAL LICENSURE COMPACT
SPONSOR: Coleman
COMMITTEE ACTION: Voted "Do Pass with HCS" by the Standing Committee on Professional Registration and Licensing by a vote of 9 to 0. Voted "Do Pass" by the Standing Committee on Rules- Administrative Oversight by a vote of 7 to 0.
The following is a summary of the House Committee Substitute for HB 348.
This bill allows any person who holds a valid current physician and surgeon license issued by another state, a branch or unit of the military, a territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia, who has been licensed for at least one year in that location, to apply for a physician or surgeon license in Missouri. The Board of Healing Arts can waive any examination, educational requirements, or experience requirements for the licensure if the Board determines that the applicant met the minimum education and work experience in the other territory.
The Board will not waive the requirements if:
(1) The applicant had his or her license revoked by an oversight committee;
(2) The applicant is currently under investigation;
(3) The applicant has a complaint pending;
(4) The applicant is currently under administrative disciplinary action;
(5) The applicant does not hold a license in good standing with an oversight body outside of Missouri; or
(6) The applicant has a criminal conviction that would disqualify him or her for licensure in Missouri.
This bill adopts the "Interstate Medical Licensure Compact". The Compact allows a physician who meets the eligibility requirements to receive an expedited license. The state must perform a criminal background check on an applicant and the state cannot require any additional verification beyond primary-source verification of medical education or results of medical or licensing examinations by the state of principal license.
A physician may renew his or her expedited license as a member of the Compact.
The Compact establishes a confidential database of all physicians who have been granted an expedited license or who have applied for an expedited license, for the purpose of allowing member states to report disciplinary or investigatory information.
Member states may participate in joint investigations of physicians with other member states, and any disciplinary action taken by one member state may subject the physician to discipline with other member states. If a physician's license is revoked, surrendered, or relinquished in one state, it shall automatically be placed on the same status in the other member states.
The Compact establishes the "Interstate Medical Licensure Compact Commission" to act as a corporate and joint agency of the member states and to oversee and maintain administration of the Compact.
The Compact outlines procedures for any member state that fails to perform its obligations of the Compact.
The Compact will only be effective once seven states have enacted legislation to join the Compact.
The Compact outlines the procedure to withdraw from the Compact. The Compact supersedes all other laws that conflict with provisions of the Compact.
This bill is similar to HB 2004 (2022)and HB 516 (2021).
The following is a summary of the public testimony from the committee hearing. The testimony was based on the introduced version of the bill.
PROPONENTS: Supporters say that this streamlines the process for someone who is already licensed in another state to be able to practice in Missouri. We currently have a shortage of physicians in Missouri. This bill will help attract physicians to Missouri to help with the physician shortage.
Testifying in person for the bill were Representative Coleman; Missouri Hospital Association; Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry; University of Missouri Healthcare System; SSM Health; BJC Healthcare; Marschall S Smith, Interstate Medical Licensure Compact Commission (IMLCC).
OPPONENTS: Those who oppose the bill say that we can't trust the licensure processes of other states.
Testifying in person against the bill was Missouri State Medical Association.
This bill is the same as HB 2004 (2022).
Written testimony has been submitted for this bill. The full written testimony and witnesses testifying online can be found under Testimony on the bill page on the House website.