Bill Text: AZ SB1108 | 2025 | Fifty-seventh Legislature 1st Regular | Engrossed
Bill Title: International medical licensees; provisional licensure
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 11-0)
Status: (Engrossed) 2025-02-26 - Assigned to House RULES Committee [SB1108 Detail]
Download: Arizona-2025-SB1108-Engrossed.html
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Senate Engrossed
international medical licensees; provisional licensure |
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State of Arizona Senate Fifty-seventh Legislature First Regular Session 2025
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SENATE BILL 1108 |
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AN ACT
amending title 32, chapter 13, article 2, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 32-1440; relating to medical licensure.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Title 32, chapter 13, article 2, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 32-1440, to read:
32-1440. International medical licensees; provisional licensure; fees; renewal; rules; conversion to full licensure; disciplinary actions; report; definitions
A. Notwithstanding any other law, the board may grant a provisional license to engage in the practice of medicine in this state to any international medical licensee who meets all of the following:
1. Has an offer for employment as a physician at any health care provider that operates in a county with a population of less than one million persons.
2. Has a Federal immigration status that allows the person to work as a physician in the United States.
3. meets the requirements for licensure prescribed in either:
(a) section 32-1422,
except for section 32-1422, subsection A, paragraph 2, and,
if applicable, section 32-1423, paragraphs 1 and 2. The
board's inability to obtain records pursuant to section 32-1422,
subsection A, paragraph 4 may not be used as the sole purpose for licensure
denial.paragraph 2, and, if applicable, section 32-1423,
paragraphs 1 and 2. [The board's inability to obtain records pursuant to
section 32-1422, subsection A, paragraph 4 may not be used as the sole
purpose for licensure denial.
(b) section 32-1822, except for section 32-1822, subsection A, paragraphs 3 and 4.
B. The board by rule may establish licensing and renewal fees for provisional licensees. A provisional license shall be renewed annually.
c. eaCH PROVISIONAL licensee shall do both of the following:
1. While licensed pursuant to this section, work under the supervision of a physician who is licensed pursuant to chapter 13 or 17 of this title. The board shall adopt rules relating to this supervision requirement, including requirements FOR PROVISIONAL LICENSEES to submit the supervision agreement to the board, TO report to the board and TO obtain medical malpractice liability insurance and requirements regarding health insurance coverage and procedures for FAILING to adhere to the terms of the supervision agreement.
2. Comply with the continuing EDUCATION requirements required under this chapter and the rules adopted pursuant to this chapter.
D. The PROVISIONAL licensee's employer shall notify the board if the PROVISIONAL licensee is terminated or leaves employment for any reason. within five days after receiving the notification from the employer, the board shall terminate the provisional license unless the international medical licensee notifies the board that the international medical licensee is working for another employer in A county with a population of less than one million persons and the new employer notifies the board that the INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL licensee has accepted an offer of employment. The new employer shall comply with board rules related to issuing a new supervision agreement.
E. THE employer of a PROVISIONAL licensee may require the PROVISIONAL licensee to take a competency test at anytime during employment.
F. The board may discipline a provisional licensee or revoke a provisional license granted pursuant to this section based on clear and convincing evidence, Except for disciplinary matters brought pursuant to section 32-1401, paragraph 27, subdivision (aa), after an investigation conducted pursuant to section 32-1451. AN INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL licensee may appeal the revocation of the provisional license to the superior court in Maricopa county pursuant to title 12, chapter 7, article 6. The court shall reinstate the provisional license if the court finds that the board's actions did not meet the standards prescribed in this subsection.
G. A provisional license shall automatically be converted to a full license to practice medicine in this state after four years if all of the following ARE MET:
1. THE PROVISIONAL LICENSEE Engages in the practice of medicine in this state for four years in a county with a population of less than one million persons.
2. THE PROVISIONAL LICENSEE Is not disciplined by the board during that four-year period of the provisional license.
3. The supervising physician with whom the provisional licensee HAS a supervision agreement submits a signed attestation to the board certifying that it is the supervising physician's professional opinion that the provisional licensee meets this state's standards for providing medical care. The board shall adopt rules related to the format and submission requirements for this attestation document.
H. This section does not require the board to grant a provisional license to an international medical licensee who does not provide all of the following:
1. Evidence of substantially similar medical training that the board deems to be of equivalent quality.
2. Evidence of satisfactory passage of exams as determined by the board.
3. A complete license application.
4. Payment of all required licensing fees.
5. Satisfactory proof of a federal immigration status that allows the individual to work as a physician in the United States.
I. The board may require an applicant international medical licensee to submit EITHER or both OF THE FOLLOWING:
1. any supporting application materials NECESSARY FOR the board TO properly evaluate the applicant for licensure.
2. at the applicant's expense, medical education information through the educational commission for foreign medical graduates or another third-party records service.
J. On or before January 1, 2033, the board shall submit a report to the governor and the health and human services committees, or their successor committees, in the senate and the house of representatives, and shall provide a copy of the report to the secretary of state, that includes the following information:
1. The number of license applications the board has received, approved and denied, including the reasons for the denials, pursuant to this section.
2. The number of complaints received against provisional licensees and the number of complaints that were sustained, including the disciplinary and nondisciplinary actions taken by the board.
3. The geographic locations where the provisional licensees are practicing or have practiced in this state.
4. The medical specialty or specialties practiced by each provisional licensee.
5. The number of provisional licenses that have been converted to a full license to practice in this state and whether those licensees have continued to practice in this state.
K. The health and human services committees, or their successor committees, in the senate and the house of representatives shall:
1. Review the report submitted pursuant to subsection J of this section and the data collected, including application outcomes, complaint records, geographic distribution and conversion rates to full licensure. The review process shall consider whether the licensing framework supports public health and safety, maintains professional standards and effectively addresses workforce needs in this state.
2. determine whether provisional
licensure should be continued, modified or discontinued.K. The
health and human services committees, or their successor committees, in the
senate and the house of representatives shall:
1. Review
the report submitted pursuant to subsection J of this section and the data
collected, including application outcomes, complaint records, geographic
distribution and conversion rates to full licensure. The review process shall
consider whether the licensing framework supports public health and safety,
maintains professional standards and effectively addresses workforce needs in
this state.
2. determine
whether provisional licensure should be continued, modified or discontinued.
L. The board may not accept applications under this section from and after December 31, 2033.
M.J. On or
before January 1, 2033, the board shall provide a report to the governor, the
president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives, and
shall provide a copy of the report to the secretary of state, that includes the
following information:
1. The
number of licensure applications the board has received, approved and denied,
including the reasons for the denials, pursuant to this section.
2. The
number of complaints received against provisional licensees, how many of the
complaints were sustained, including the disciplinary and nondisciplinary
actions taken by the board.
3. The
geographic locations that provisional licensees are practicing in or have
practiced in this state.
4. The
medical specialties practiced by each provisional licensee.
5. How
many provisional licenses have been converted to a full license to practice in
this state and whether those licensees have continued to practice in this
state.
K. The
board may not accept applications under this section from and after December
31, 2033.
[J.] L. for the purposes of this
section:
1. "Board" means the Arizona medical board or the Arizona board of osteopathic examiners in medicine and surgery, as applicable.
2. "Health care provider":
(a) Means an individual, entity, corporation, person or organization, whether for-profit or nonprofit, that furnishes, bills for or is paid for health care procedures or service delivery in the normal course of business.
(b) Includes health systems, hospitals, hospital-based facilities, freestanding emergency facilities and urgent care clinics.
3. "International medical licensee" means an individual who meets all of the following requirements:
(a) Has been granted a medical doctorate or a substantially similar degree by an international medical program of good standing.
(b) Has completed a residency or substantially similar postgraduate medical training recognized by the licensing body of the country where the individual is licensed.
(c) Possesses basic fluency in the English language at a level sufficient to communicate with patients about medical conditions and treatments.
(d) Has been licensed to practice medicine and has practiced medicine for at least sixty months within the preceding ten yearS in one or more of the following:
(i) Australia.
(ii) Canada.
(iii) Hong Kong.
(iv) Ireland.
(v) Israel.
(vi) New Zealand.
(vii) Singapore.
(viii) South Africa.
(ix) Switzerland.
(x) The United Kingdom.
(xi) Any additional country added by the board.
(e) HAS been licensed to practice medicine and has PRACTICED MEDICINE IN THE LICENSING COUNTRY FOR AT LEAST sixty months within the preceding ten years after completing the postgraduate training required in subdivision (b) of this paragraph.
4. "International medical program" means any medical school, residency program, medical internship program or entity that provides physicians with a medical education or training that is substantially similar to that required to practice as a physician in this state.
5. "Physician" means an individual who has obtained a medical doctorate or a substantially similar degree and who has completed a residency program or substantially similar postgraduate medical training.
6. "provisional licensee" means an international medical licensee who has been granted a provisional license pursuant to this section.
Sec. 2. Exemption from rulemaking
Notwithstanding any other law, for the purposes of this act, the Arizona medical board and the Arizona board of osteopathic examiners in medicine and surgery are exempt from the rulemaking requirements of title 41, chapter 6, Arizona Revised Statutes, for one year after the effective date of this act.
Sec. 3. Effective date
Section 32-1440, Arizona Revised Statutes, as added by this act, is effective from and after December 31, 2025.
