North Carolina SB 336: Interstate Med.l Lic. Comp./Intern'l Phys.

Bill Text

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
S 3
SENATE BILL 336
Health Care Committee Substitute Adopted 4/10/25
Finance Committee Substitute Adopted 5/7/25

Short Title: Interstate Med.l Lic. Comp./Intern'l Phys. (Public)
Sponsors:
Referred to:
March 20, 2025
*S336-v-3*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO ESTABLISH AN INTERSTATE COMPACT FOR THE LICENSURE OF THE 2
PRACTICE OF MEDICINE AND TO CREATE A PROCESS FOR INTERNATIONAL 3
PHYSICIAN EMPLOYEE LICENSE. 4
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 5
SECTION 1. Chapter 90 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new Article 6
to read: 7
"Article 1O. 8
"Interstate Medical Licensure Compact. 9
"§ 90-21.160. Short title. 10
This Article shall be known as the "Interstate Medical Licensure Compact." 11
"§ 90-21.161. Purpose. 12
(a) The purpose of this Article is to strengthen access to health care, and, in recognition 13
of the advances in the delivery of health care, the member states of the Interstate Medical 14
Licensure Compact (Compact) have allied in common purpose to develop a comprehensive 15
process that complements the existing licensing and regulatory authority of state medical boards 16
and to provide a streamlined process that allows physicians to become licensed in multiple states, 17
thereby enhancing the portability of a medical license and ensuring the safety of patients. 18
(b) The Interstate Medical Licensure Compact creates another pathway for licensure and 19
does not otherwise change a state's existing medical practice act or provisions. The Compact 20
adopts the prevailing standard for licensure and affirms that the practice of medicine occurs 21
where the patient is located at the time of the physician-patient encounter and, therefore, requires 22
the physician to be under the jurisdiction of the state medical board where the patient is located. 23
State medical boards that participate in the Compact retain the jurisdiction to impose an adverse 24
action against a license to practice medicine in that state issued to a physician through the 25
procedures of the Compact. 26
"§ 90-21.162. Definitions. 27
The following definitions apply in this Article: 28
(1) Bylaws. – Bylaws established by the Interstate Commission pursuant to 29
G.S. 90-21.171. 30
(2) Commissioner. – The voting representative appointed by each member board 31
pursuant to G.S. 90-21.171. 32
(3) Conviction. – A finding by a court that an individual is guilty of a criminal 33
offense through adjudication, or entry of a plea of guilty or no contest to the 34
charge by the offender. Evidence of an entry of a conviction of a criminal 35

General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 Senate Bill 336-Third Edition
offense by a court shall be considered final for purposes of disciplinary action 1
by a member board. 2
(4) Expedited license. – A full and unrestricted medical license granted by a 3
member state to an eligible physician through the process set forth in the 4
Compact. 5
(5) Interstate Commission. – The Interstate Medical Licensure Compact 6
Commission created pursuant to G.S. 90-21.171. 7
(6) License. – The authorization by a member state for a physician to engage in 8
the practice of medicine, which would be unlawful without authorization. 9
(7) Medical practice act. – Laws and regulations governing the practice of 10
allopathic and osteopathic medicine within a member state. 11
(8) Member board. – A state agency in a member state that acts in the sovereign 12
interests of the state by protecting the public through licensure, regulation, and 13
education of physicians as directed by the state government. 14
(9) Member state. – A state that has enacted the Compact. 15
(10) Offense. – A felony, gross misdemeanor, or crime of moral turpitude. 16
(11) Physician. – Any person who meets all of the following qualifications: 17
a. Is a graduate of a medical school accredited by the Liaison Committee 18
on Medical Education, the Commission on Osteopathic College 19
Accreditation, or a medical school listed in the International Medical 20
Education Directory or its equivalent. 21
b. Has passed each component of the United States Medical Licensing 22
Examination (USMLE) or the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical 23
Licensing Examination (COMLEX-USA) within three attempts, or 24
any of its predecessor examinations accepted by a state medical board 25
as an equivalent examination for licensure purposes. 26
c. Has successfully completed graduate medical education approved by 27
the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education or the 28
American Osteopathic Association. 29
d. Holds specialty certification or a time-unlimited specialty certificate 30
recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties or the 31
American Osteopathic Association's Bureau of Osteopathic 32
Specialists. 33
e. Possesses a full and unrestricted license to engage in the practice of 34
medicine issued by a member board. 35
f. Has never been convicted, received adjudication, def