Senate Approves Incentive for Out-of-State Doctors

The Senate passed a bill today that would streamline the process of obtaining a medical license in Texas for out-of-state doctors. 

“It's really an incentive to get doctors to go to areas that are underserved,” said Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Southside Place, who wrote the bill. “I’d say every senator in here has some areas of their district that are underserved.”

The bill passed with 21 votes.

Under the measure, doctors who have held a medical license in another state for at least five years, have never had any disciplinary orders or probation, and agree to practice medicine in an underserved area would be given an indefinite amount of time to complete their licensing certification in Texas. Huffman said current rules require the licensing certification to be completed in seven years, with some exceptions.