Committee reports bill to exempt visiting team physicians from Pennsylvania license for short stays

The House Professional Licensure Committee voted to report a bill as amended that would allow traveling team physicians licensed outside the United States to provide treatment to their players in Pennsylvania without obtaining a Pennsylvania medical license.

Carrie Orchard, committee staff, told the committee that the measure "amends the Medical Practice Act of 1985 to allow traveling team physicians from outside the United States to treat their players in the Commonwealth without a Pennsylvania medical license." She also explained an amendment, A00020, "that extends the licensure exemption for traveling team physicians to 45 days instead of 30 days and allows for a longer period of time than that with prior approval by the Board of Medicine."

Representative Kosarovsky moved to consider the bill; Representative Tom Mahaffey seconded. Representative Manny Guzman moved to adopt amendment A00020, and a second was recorded for Representative Murski. Committee members heard no discussion on the amendment, and the chair announced there were no negative votes; the amendment was added to the bill. The committee then heard no further discussion on the bill itself, and the chair reported the bill as amended from the House Professional Licensure Committee.

The meeting transcript shows the bill was presented and the amendment adopted by voice (the chair stated there were "no negative votes"). The transcript does not record a roll-call vote tally or a recorded yes/no vote by member name. The bill as discussed explicitly references the Medical Practice Act of 1985 and the Board of Medicine’s authority to approve exemptions beyond the 45-day period.

The committee adjourned after thanking staff; no implementation timeline, effective date, or further committee referral was stated on the record.