PHYSICIANS: Provides relative to rural physician licenses

Healthcare

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Michael Echols
Last action: 2026-05-28
Official status: Sent to Governor
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Rural Physician Licensing for International Doctors

This bill allows international doctors to get a special license to work in rural or underserved areas of Louisiana, with certain conditions and restrictions.

What This Bill Does

Creates a new type of medical license called the 'restricted rural physician license' for foreign-trained doctors who meet specific requirements.
Requires these licensed physicians to practice only in designated rural or medically underserved areas of Louisiana.
Limits the ability of these physicians to own their medical practices during the restricted period unless approved by the board.
Establishes a two-year supervision requirement under an unrestricted Louisiana physician for those with this special license.
Allows eligible doctors to apply for full, unrestricted licenses after five years of continuous practice in rural or underserved areas.

Who It Names or Affects

International physicians who want to work in Louisiana's rural and medically underserved areas.
The Louisiana Department of Health and the state medical board responsible for issuing these licenses.

Terms To Know

Restricted Rural Physician License: A special license given to foreign-trained doctors who can practice only in rural or medically underserved areas under certain conditions.
Medically Underserved Area: An area designated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as having a shortage of primary care providers relative to population health needs.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what happens if a physician violates the practice location requirements.
It is unclear how many international physicians will apply for this special license or whether it will effectively address shortages in rural areas.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

House Committee Amendment #3757 H&W Adopted

Adopted

Plain English: HCAHB1160 4465 3757 HOUSE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by House Committee on Health and Welfare to Original House Bill No.

HCAHB1160 4465 3757 HOUSE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by House Committee on Health and Welfare to Original House Bill No.
1160 by Representative Echols 1 AMENDMENT NO.
1 2 On page 1, delete line 6 and insert "and to provide for related matters." 3 AMENDMENT NO.
2 4 On page 1, line 15, change "medicine degree." to "medicine." 5 AMENDMENT NO.

House Committee Amendment #3571 H&W Draft

Draft

Plain English: HCAHB1160 4465 3571 HOUSE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by House Committee on Health and Welfare to Original House Bill No.

HCAHB1160 4465 3571 HOUSE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by House Committee on Health and Welfare to Original House Bill No.
1160 by Representative Echols 1 AMENDMENT NO.
1 2 On page 1, delete line 6 and insert "and to provide for related matters." 3 AMENDMENT NO.
2 4 On page 1, line 15, change "medicine degree." to "medicine." 5 AMENDMENT NO.

Bill History

2026-05-28 H
Sent to the Governor for executive approval.
2026-05-27 S
Signed by the President of the Senate.
2026-05-27 H
Enrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.
2026-05-26 H
Received from the Senate without amendments.
2026-05-26 S
Rules suspended. Read by title, passed by a vote of 38 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.
2026-05-25 S
Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.
2026-05-21 S
Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.
2026-05-20 S
Reported favorably.
2026-04-27 S
Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Health and Welfare.
2026-04-22 S
Received in the Senate. Rules suspended. Read first time by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.
2026-04-22 H
Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 94, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.
2026-04-22 H
Called from the calendar.
2026-04-21 H
Scheduled for floor debate on 04/22/2026.
2026-04-21 H
Notice given.
2026-04-21 H
Read by title, returned to the calendar.
2026-04-20 H
Scheduled for floor debate on 04/21/2026.
2026-04-15 H
Read by title, amended, ordered engrossed, passed to 3rd reading.
2026-04-14 H
Reported with amendments (10-0).
2026-04-01 H
Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Health and Welfare.
2026-03-31 H
Read by title. Lies over under the rules.

Official Summary Text

PHYSICIANS: Provides relative to rural physician licenses

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

ENROLLED
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 1160
BY REPRESENTATIVE ECHOLS
1 AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 37:1275.3, relative to the practice of medicine; to provide for licensure of
3 certain international physicians; to provide for a restricted rural physician license;
4 to provide for eligibility requirements; to provide for practice limitations and
5 supervision; to provide for conversion to an unrestricted license; to provide for rules;
6 and to provide for related matters.
7 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8 Section 1. R.S. 37:1275.3 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
9 §1275.3. Rural international physician; licensure; limitations
10 A. The board shall issue a restricted rural physician license to an applicant
11 who meets all of the following requirements:
12 (1) Holds a medical degree from a medical school listed in the World
13 Directory of Medical Schools.
14 (2) Has completed medical education substantially equivalent to a doctor of
15 medicine or doctor of osteopathic medicine.
16 (3) Has successfully passed Step 1, Step 2, and Step 3 of the United States
17 Medical Licensing Examination or an equivalent examination as determined and
18 approved by the board.
19 (4) Possesses certification from the Educational Commission for Foreign
20 Medical Graduates or equivalent credential verification approved by the board.
21 (5) Has completed at least three years of clinical practice, postgraduate
22 training, or residency in another jurisdiction.
23 (6) Has successfully passed a criminal background check.
24 (7) Demonstrates proficiency in the English language sufficient to safely
25 practice medicine.
Page 1 of 3
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HB NO. 1160 ENROLLED
1 B.(1)(a) A physician issued a restricted rural physician license in accordance
2 with this Section shall practice only in a rural or medically underserved area of this
3 state or at a medical facility or clinic approved by the Louisiana Department of
4 Health or the board.
5 (b) For the purposes of this Section, "rural or medically underserved area"
6 means either of the following:
7 (i) A parish or geographic area designated by the Louisiana Department of
8 Health or the United States Department of Health and Human Services as a health
9 professional shortage area or a medically underserved area.
10 (ii) A rural parish with a population of less than one hundred thousand
11 residents based upon the latest federal decennial census.
12 (2) A physician issued a restricted rural physician license shall practice for
13 a period of not less than two years under the supervision of a physician who meets
14 all of the following criteria:
15 (a) He holds a full and unrestricted license to practice medicine in this state.
16 (b) He meets all requirements established by the board to serve as a
17 supervising physician.
18 (c) He is registered with the board as a supervising physician in accordance
19 with rules promulgated and adopted by the board.
20 (3) Upon successful completion of the supervision period, as documented by
21 the supervising physician, the board may authorize the physician to continue practice
22 without supervision within a rural or medically underserved area.
23 C.(1) A restricted rural physician license shall not any authorize any of the
24 following:
25 (a) Practice of medicine outside a rural or medically underserved area
26 approved in accordance with this Section.
27 (b) Ownership of a medical practice during the period of restricted licensure
28 unless approved by the board.
29 (2) A violation of the practice location requirements of this Section shall
30 result in suspension or revocation of the license by the board.
Page 2 of 3
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HB NO. 1160 ENROLLED
1 D. After five years of continuous practice in a rural or medically underserved
2 area in accordance with this Section, the board shall grant the physician eligibility
3 to apply for a full and unrestricted license to practice medicine in this state, if the
4 physician meets all of the following criteria:
5 (1) Remains in good standing.
6 (2) Is not under investigation by the board at the time of application.
7 (3) Has not been subject to disciplinary action.
8 (4) Has satisfied all continuing medical education requirements.
9 E. The board shall promulgate and adopt rules to implement the provisions
10 of this Section, including but not limited to rules governing all of the following:
11 (1) Application procedures.
12 (2) Supervision requirements.
13 (3) Credential verification standards.
14 (4) Evaluation of international medical education equivalency.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED:
Page 3 of 3
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.