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RELEASE: Interstate Medical Licensure Compact passes unanimously, heads to Governor Dayton

Friday, May 15, 2015

ST. PAUL, MN—The Minnesota House passed SF253 on Friday, a bill to allow Minnesota to join the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact. The bipartisan bill – authored in the House by Rep. Tara Mack (R-Apple Valley), Chair of the Health and Human Services Reform Committee, and in the Senate by Sen. Kathy Sheran (DFL-Mankato), Chair of the Health, Human Services, and Housing Committee – would make Minnesota the seventh state to participate in the Compact, joining Idaho, Montana, South Dakota, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming. Under current law, seven states are needed before the Compact is triggered and officially formed.

The Interstate Medical Licensure Compact allows medical professionals to practice across state lines. Physicians must be a graduate of an accredited medical school, have passed the United States Medical License Examination or the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Exam, hold specialty certification, possess a full unrestricted license to practice medicine in a Compact state, and meet other requirements.

Representative Mack issued the following statement regarding the passage of SF253:

"Joining the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact will help Minnesota attract more highly-qualified physicians and doctors, and make it easier for out-of-state doctors to come to Minnesota and continue their careers," Mack said. "Thanks to the overwhelming bipartisan support for this bill, Minnesota is once again leading the way in health care, reforming our licensure system in a common-sense way. It's my hope we can continue to attract world-class medical professionals to Minnesota and that this will help to address the doctor shortage in some areas of the state."

“The compact retains each state’s medical board’s authority over the practice of medicine in their state while offering physicians an expedited process to practice in other states,” said Senator Kathy Sheran (DFL – Mankato). “Public safety is the highest consideration creating another pathway for physicians to serve their patients who travel or reside in another state.”

The bill now heads to the desk of Governor Mark Dayton, where it awaits his signature.

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