North Carolina 2025-2026 Regular Session

North Carolina Senate Bill S396 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1		GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
2	2		SESSION 2025
3		-	S 1
4		-	SENATE BILL 396
	3	+	S D
	4	+	SENATE BILL DRS45185-NBf-80
	5	+
5	6
6	7
7	8		Short Title: Medical Board Licensing Efficiency Act. (Public)
8	9		Sponsors: Senators Britt, Sawrey, and Galey (Primary Sponsors).
9		-	Referred to: ~~Rules and Operations of the Senate~~
10		-	~~March 25, 2025~~
11		-	~~S396 -v-1~~
	10	+	Referred to:
	11	+
	12	+	DRS45185 -NBf-80
12	13		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
13	14		AN ACT TO MAKE MODIFICATIONS TO THE LAWS PERTAINING TO THE NORTH 2
14	15		CAROLINA MEDICAL BOARD . 3
15	16		The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 4
16	17		SECTION 1. Article 1 of Chapter 90 of the General Statutes is amended by adding 5
17	18		a new section to read: 6
18	19		"§ 90-12.2B. Licensure by endorsement. 7
19	20		(a) The Board may issue a license as a physician, physician assistant, or anesthesiologist 8
20	21		assistant in North Carolina to an applicant who submits an application for licensure by 9
21	22		endorsement to the Board and satisfies all of the following, as applicable to the applicant's 10
22	23		licensure: 11
23	24		(1) Has held an active, full, and unrestricted license in at least one other United 12
24	25		States jurisdiction, including any state, territory, or district, for at least five 13
25	26		years. Physicians applying for a license to practice medicine must have 14
26	27		practiced with an active, full, and unrestricted license for at least two years 15
27	28		after completing training after graduating from medical school in a residency 16
28	29		program approved by any of the following: 17
29	30		a. The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. 18
30	31		b. The American Osteopathic Association. 19
31	32		c. The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. 20
32	33		d. The College of Family Physicians of Canada. 21
33	34		(2) An employer submits a letter to the Board verifying that the applicant has 22
34	35		accepted an offer of full-time employment to practice consistent with the 23
35	36		applicant's respective licensure in person at a physical location in this State 24
36	37		rendering care to individuals in this State. 25
37	38		(3) Provides to the Board sufficient proof of identification, including the 26
38	39		applicant's social security number, certified or official copy of birth certificate, 27
39	40		copy of drivers license, United States passport, or other government-issued 28
40	41		identification. The applicant shall include documentation of any legal name 29
41	42		change. 30
42	43		(4) Provides an attestation that the applicant meets all of the following: 31
43	44		a. Is in good standing in all jurisdictions of licensure where the applicant 32
44	45		holds an active license, has not been disciplined in the last five years 33
45	46		by any occupational licensing board preceding the application by 34
46	47		endorsement, and has no pending investigations by any occupational 35
47		-	licensing board. 36 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
48		-	Page 2 Senate Bill 396-First Edition
	48	+	licensing board. 36
	49	+	FILED SENATE
	50	+	Mar 24, 2025
	51	+	S.B. 396
	52	+	PRINCIPAL CLERK General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
	53	+	Page 2 DRS45185-NBf-80
49	54		b. Is not the subject to any adverse action taken by any regulatory board 1
50	55		or agency overseeing the applicant's respective licensure in the last 2
51	56		five years preceding the application for licensure by endorsement. 3
52	57		c. Has actively practiced as a physician, physician assistant, or 4
53	58		anesthesiologist assistant for an average of 20 hours or more per week 5
54	59		during the two years immediately preceding the application for 6
55	60		licensure by endorsement. 7
56	61		d. Has no misdemeanor or felony convictions in the last five years 8
57	62		preceding the application for licensure by endorsement. 9
58	63		e. Meets the licensure requirements of physicians under G.S. 90-9.1 or 10
59	64		G.S. 90-9.2, physician assistants under G.S. 90-9.3, or 11
60	65		anesthesiologist assistants under G.S. 90-9.4. 12
61	66		f. Meets the examination requirements of G.S. 90-10.1 for physician 13
62	67		licensure. 14
63	68		g. Is able to satisfy all licensing requirements of any applicable Board 15
64	69		rule, including 21 NCAC 32B .1303, 21 NCAC 32S .0202, and 21 16
65	70		NCAC 32W .0103, as amended, for physicians, physician assistants, 17
66	71		and anesthesiologist assistants, respectively. 18
67	72		(b) Licensees who have received a licensure in accordance with subsection (a) of this 19
68	73		section shall submit to the Board any additional licensure information for a license as required 20
69	74		by any applicable Board rule, including 21 NCAC 32B .1303, as amended, within 120 days of 21
70	75		receipt of licensure by endorsement under this section. Failure to provide the necessary 22
71	76		information under this section shall constitute a basis for the Board to investigate that failure and 23
72	77		take appropriate action. The Board has the authority to investigate and take appropriate action 24
73	78		against an applicant or licensee who applied for or received licensure by endorsement under this 25
74	79		section. The Board shall retain jurisdiction over the holder of any inactive license issued by the 26
75	80		Board. 27
76	81		(c) A license issued under this section shall become inactive after 180 days unless the 28
77	82		applicant meets all of the requirements of subsection (b) of this section. 29
78	83		(d) An applicant for licensure by endorsement shall pay the applicable license fees under 30
79	84		G.S. 90-13.1 and applicable criminal background check fees under G.S. 90-11." 31
80	85		SECTION 2. G.S. 90-13.1 reads as rewritten: 32
81	86		"§ 90-13.1. License fees. 33
82	87		(a) Each applicant for a license to practice medicine and surgery in this State under 34
83	88		G.S. 90-9.1, 90-9.2, or 90-12.02 shall pay to the North Carolina Medical Board an application 35
84	89		fee of four hundred dollars ($400.00).not to exceed five hundred fifty dollars ($550.00). 36
85	90		(a1) Physicians applying for licensure by endorsement under G.S. 90-12.2B shall pay to 37
86	91		the Board an application fee not to exceed eight hundred twenty-five dollars ($825.00). 38
87	92		(b) Each applicant for a limited license to practice in a medical education and training 39
88	93		program under G.S. 90-12.01 shall pay to the Board a fee of one hundred dollars ($100.00).one 40
89	94		hundred twenty-five dollars ($125.00). 41
90	95		(c) An applicant for a limited volunteer license under G.S. 90-12.1A or G.S. 90-12.1B 42
91	96		shall not pay a fee. 43
92	97		(d) A fee of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) shall be paid for the issuance of a duplicate 44
93	98		license. 45
94	99		(e) All fees shall be paid in advance to the North Carolina Medical Board, to be held in 46
95	100		a fund for the use of the Board. 47
96	101		(f) For the initial and annual licensure of an anesthesiologist assistant, the Board may 48
97	102		require the payment of a fee not to exceed one hundred fifty dollars ($150.00).two hundred 49
98	103		dollars ($200.00). 50 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
99		-	~~Senate Bill 396-First Edition~~ Page 3
	104	+	DRS45185-NBf-80 Page 3
100	105		(g) Anesthesiologist assistants applying for licensure by endorsement under 1
101	106		G.S. 90-12.2B shall pay to the Board an application fee not to exceed three hundred dollars 2
102	107		($300.00). 3
103	108		(h) For the initial licensure of a physician assistant, the Board shall require the payment 4
104	109		of a fee not to exceed three hundred twenty-five dollars ($325.00). 5
105	110		(i) Physician assistants applying for licensure by endorsement under G.S. 90-12.2B shall 6
106	111		pay to the Board an application fee not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500.00)." 7
107	112		SECTION 3. G.S. 90-13.2 reads as rewritten: 8
108	113		"§ 90-13.2. Registration every year with Board. 9
109	114		(a) Every licensee shall register annually with the Board no later than 30 days after the 10
110	115		person's birthday. 11
111	116		(b) A person who registers with the Board shall report to the Board the person's name and 12
112	117		office and residence address and any other information required by the Board, and shall pay an 13
113	118		annual registration fee of two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00), not to exceed three hundred fifty 14
114	119		dollars ($350.00), except those who have a limited license to practice in a medical education and 15
115	120		training program approved by the Board for the purpose of education or training shall pay a 16
116	121		registration fee of one hundred twenty-five dollars ($125.00), one hundred fifty dollars 17
117	122		($150.00), and those who have a retired limited volunteer license pursuant to G.S. 90-12.1B or a 18
118	123		limited volunteer license pursuant to G.S. 90-12.1A shall pay no annual registration fee. 19
119	124		However, licensees who have a limited license to practice for the purpose of education and 20
120	125		training under G.S. 90-12.01 shall not be required to pay more than one annual registration fee 21
121	126		for each year of training. 22
122	127		(b1) Physician assistants shall pay an annual registration fee not to exceed two hundred 23
123	128		dollars ($200.00). A physician assistant who fails to register as required by this section shall pay 24
124	129		an additional fee of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) to the Board. 25
125	130		(c) Repealed by Session Laws 2016-117, s. 2(i), effective October 1, 2016. 26
126	131		(d) A licensee who is not actively engaged in the performance of medical acts, tasks, or 27
127	132		functions in North Carolina and who does not wish to register the license may direct the Board 28
128	133		to place the license on inactive status. 29
129	134		(e) A physician who fails to register as required by this section shall pay an additional 30
130	135		fee of fifty dollars ($50.00) to the Board. The license of any physician who fails to register and 31
131	136		who remains unregistered for a period of 30 days after certified notice of the failure is 32
132	137		automatically inactive. The Board shall retain jurisdiction over the holder of the inactive license. 33
133	138		(f) Except as provided in G.S. 90-12.1B, a person whose license is inactive shall not 34
134	139		practice medicine in North Carolina nor be required to pay the annual registration fee. 35
135	140		(g) Upon payment of all accumulated fees and penalties, the license of the licensee may 36
136	141		be reinstated, subject to the Board requiring the licensee to appear before the Board for an 37
137	142		interview and to comply with other licensing requirements. The penalty may not exceed the 38
138	143		applicable maximum fee for a license under G.S. 90-13.1. 39
139	144		(h) The Board shall not deny a licensee's annual registration based solely on the licensee's 40
140	145		failure to become board certified." 41
141	146		SECTION 4. G.S. 90-689 reads as rewritten: 42
142	147		"§ 90-689. Expenses; fees. 43
143	148		(a) All fees shall be payable to the Medical Board and deposited in the name of the 44
144	149		Medical Board in financial institutions designated by the Medical Board as official depositories. 45
145	150		These fees shall be used to carry out the purposes of this Article. 46
146	151		(b) All salaries, compensation, and expenses incurred or allowed to carry out the purposes 47
147	152		of this Article shall be paid by the Medical Board exclusively out of the fees received by the 48
148	153		Medical Board as authorized by this Article or funds received from other sources. In no case shall 49
149	154		any salary, expense, or other obligation authorized by this Article be charged against the State 50
150	155		treasury. 51 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
151		-	Page 4 ~~Senate Bill 396-First Edition~~
	156	+	Page 4 DRS45185-NBf-80
152	157		(c) The Committee, upon the approval of the Medical Board, shall establish fees not 1
153	158		exceeding the following amounts: 2
154	159		(1) License application $350.00$400.00 3
155	160		(2) Biennial renewal of license $350.00$400.00 4
156	161		(3) Late renewal of license $100.00 5
157	162		(4) Provisional license $175.00$200.00 6
158	163		(5) Copies of rules Cost." 7
159	164		SECTION 5. The North Carolina Medical Board may adopt temporary rules to 8
160	165		implement the provisions of this act. 9
161	166		SECTION 6. This act becomes effective October 1, 2025. 10