Committee hears hours of testimony on bill to void noncompete clauses for health‑care licensees

The House Committee on Behavioral Health and Health Care heard more than an hour of testimony Tuesday on Senate Bill 957, a proposal to make noncompete clauses unenforceable for health‑care licensees and to remove those contractual restraints on providers.

Proponents told the committee the clauses have prevented licensed clinicians from practicing medicine where they live and have reduced patient access. "Licensed physicians in good standing otherwise available to practice medicine, but they couldn't," said Representative Nancy Nathanson, citing situations in Eugene where providers were blocked from treating local patients after ownership changes.

The bill would void noncompete agreements for health‑care licensees, a move supporters said is needed amid staffing shortages and growing corporate ownership of medical practices. "Non competes are restraints on trade. They don't make sense in health care," said Senator Broadman, who introduced the measure to the committee and framed it as a patient‑access issue. Several physician witnesses said the clauses are used by large corporate entities and private equity owners to limit…