CANADIAN HEALTH PROFESSIONALS S.B. 1021:
SUMMARY AS ENACTED
Senate Bill 1021 (as enacted) PUBLIC ACT 329 of 2020
Sponsor: Senator Wayne A. Schmidt
Senate Committee: Health Policy and Human Services
House Committee: Ways and Means
CONTENT
The bill amended Article 15 (Occupations) of the Public Health Code to delete the sunset date on a provision allowing an individual licensed to practice a health profession in a province of Canada to be granted an appropriate license upon satisfying the board or task force to which he or she applies as to criteria specified in the Code.
Under Section 16186 of the Code, an individual who is licensed to practice a health profession in another state or, until January 1, 2012, is licensed to practice a health profession in a province of Canada who is registered in another state, or who holds a health professional specialty field license or specialty certification from another state and who applies for licensure, registration, specialty certification, or a health professional specialty field license in Michigan may be granted an appropriate license or registration or specialty certification or health profession specialty field license upon satisfying the board or task force to which the applicant applies as to all of the following:
-- The applicant substantially meets the requirements of Article 15 and rules promulgated under Article 15 for licensure, registration, specialty certification, or a health profession specialty field license.
-- The applicant is licensed, registered, specialty certified, or specialty licensed in another state, or until January 1, 2012, is licensed in a province of Canada that maintains standards substantially equivalent to those of Michigan.
-- Until January 1, 2012, if the applicant is licensed to practice a health profession in a Province of Canada, the applicant completed the educational requirements in Canada or in the United States for licensure in Canada or in the US.
-- Until January 1, 2012, if the applicant is licensed to practice a health profession in a Province of Canada, that the applicant will perform the professional services for which he or she bills in Michigan, and that any resulting request for third-party reimbursement will originate from the applicant's place of employment in Michigan.
The bill deleted the references to January 1, 2012.
Under the Code, an applicant who is licensed to practice in Canada, has completed the required educational requirements in Canada or in the US for licensure, and takes and passes a national examination approved by the appropriate licensing board of the State, is considered to have met the license, registration, and certification requirement described above.
Formerly, this provision did not apply if the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, in consultation with the appropriate licensing board, promulgated a rule disallowing the use
of this provision for an applicant licensed in a province of Canada. The bill instead refers to an applicant licensed in a province of Canada who does not substantially meet the training or educational requirements expected of an applicant for the same health profession who received his or her education in the US or who is not licensed in a province in Canada that maintains standards substantially equivalent to those of Michigan.
The bill took effect on March 4, 2021.
MCL 333.16186
BACKGROUND
Public Act 441 of 2002 amended the Public Health Code to allow, until January 1, 2004, a health professional licensed to practice in Canada to be granted a license in Michigan after meeting certain requirements, including holding in a license in a Canadian province that maintains standards substantially equivalent to those of Michigan. Public Acts 234 of 2004 and 398 of 2006 extended the sunset date to January 1, 2007, and January 1, 2012, respectively.
Legislative Analyst: Stephen Jackson
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill will have no fiscal impact on State or local government.
Fiscal Analyst: Elizabeth Raczkowski
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.