Study on Greenhouse Gas Emissions Economy-Wide Cap-and-Invest Program (Maryland Climate Crisis Equity Act)
HB1199 authorizes the Maryland State Board of Physicians, beginning October 1, 2027, to issue a time-limited license to practice medicine to certain internationally trained physicians. The bill creates a new licensing pathway for physicians who were educated and licensed outside the United States, its territories and possessions, Puerto Rico, and Canada, provided they meet a series of education, training, examination, language, character, and background requirements. The license may be issued for up to three years and may not be renewed.
To qualify, an applicant must show, among other things, a medical degree recognized by the World Health Organization, at least two years of postgraduate training equivalent to an accredited residency, no discipline or competency issues during training, active licensure and substantial recent practice in another country, good standing with the relevant foreign regulator, a valid Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates certificate, passing scores on USMLE Steps 1, 2, and 3, Maryland domicile, English proficiency, and good moral character. The Board is also directed to adopt regulations setting minimum qualifications, fees, license conditions, and a pathway to full licensure after the licensee satisfies those conditions.
The bill adds a new section to the Health Occupations Article, creating a statutory framework for a limited physician license for internationally trained doctors. It expands the Board of Physicians’ authority to license certain foreign-trained physicians and requires the Board to establish implementing regulations, including criteria, fees, conditions of practice, and a route to full licensure. The measure affects applicants who are already licensed abroad and seek to practice in Maryland, while preserving Board discretion to deny or revoke the license based on disciplinary history, scope violations, employment termination, or loss of eligibility.
The bill appears to have broad legislative support. It received a favorable committee report with amendments, was adopted with floor amendments in the House, and passed third reading overwhelmingly by a vote of 134-1. That voting pattern suggests the General Assembly viewed the bill as a practical workforce and licensure measure with strong consensus.
The main points of contention appear to have centered on the safeguards and limits placed on the new pathway rather than on the concept itself. The bill includes detailed eligibility requirements, a nonrenewable three-year term, and revocation triggers, indicating concern about ensuring competence, public protection, and regulatory oversight. The floor and committee amendments suggest legislators refined the bill’s conditions and implementation details, but the near-unanimous vote indicates little visible opposition in the recorded history.