Michigan 2025-2026 Regular Session Status: Introduced 1 R cosponsors

HB 4896 — Health occupations: physicians; license to engage in the practice of medicine for international medical school graduates; provide for under certain circumstances. Amends secs. 17001 & 17011 of 1978 PA 368 (MCL 333.17001 & 333.17011). TIE BAR WITH: HB 4925'25

Last action — referred to second reading

  1. 1
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed House
  4. 4
    Passed Senate
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has been introduced in the House. Introduced January 15, 2026. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

Next likely step: a committee referral and hearing.

Odds of enactment

Low chance

Based on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a low chance of becoming law.

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Prognosis

Not enough signal yet

Not enough signal yet to read this bill's trajectory — we surface a likelihood only once there's real movement (stage, sponsorship, committee, or votes) to point to.

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Summary

Health occupations: physicians; license to engage in the practice of medicine for international medical school graduates; provide for under certain circumstances. Amends secs. 17001 & 17011 of 1978 PA 368 (MCL 333.17001 & 333.17011). TIE BAR WITH: HB 4925'25

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

170 added · 171 removed

Plain-language change summary

The updated version of Bill HB 4896 clarifies specific requirements for hospitals seeking to obtain a limited or full medical license. It emphasizes that hospitals must have sponsored either four residency programs or spent at least $2 million on medical education over the last three years. This change is important because it sets clear criteria that hospitals must meet, ensuring they contribute adequately to medical training and education, which can improve the quality of healthcare services provided in the community.

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HOUSE BILL NO.
SUBSTITUTE FOR HOUSE BILL NO.
4896 September 11, 2025, Introduced by Reps.
4896 A bill to amend 1978 PA 368, entitled "Public health code," by amending sections 17001 and 17011 (MCL 333.17001 and 333.17011), section 17001 as amended by 2018 PA 624 and section 17011 as amended by 2006 PA 398.
Woolford, Alexander, Borton, Wozniak, Martin and Schuette and referred to Committee on Health Policy.
A bill to amend 1978 PA 368, entitled "Public health code," by amending sections 17001 and 17011 (MCL 333.17001 and 333.17011), section 17001 as amended by 2018 PA 624 and section 17011 as amended by 2006 PA 398.
EMR H03791'25_HB4896_INTR_1 thbqpg 1 (ii) A hospital licensed under article 17 that meets all of the following requirements:
(ii) A hospital licensed under article 17 that meets all of the following requirements:
(A) Was the sole sponsor or a co-sponsor, if each other co- sponsor is either a medical school approved by the board or a hospital owned by the federal government and directly operated by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, of not less than 4 postgraduate education residency programs approved by the board under section 17031(1) for not less than the 3 years immediately preceding the date of an application for a limited license under section 16182(2)(c) or an application for a full license under section 17031(2), 17031(2)(a), if at least 1 of the residency programs is in the specialty area of medical practice, or in a specialty area that includes the subspecialty of medical practice, in which the applicant for a limited license proposes to practice or in which the applicant for a full license has practiced for the hospital.
(A) Was the sole sponsor or a co-sponsor, if each other co- sponsor is either a medical school approved by the board or a EMR H03791'25 (H-1) ev86py 1 hospital owned by the federal government and directly operated by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, of not less than 4 postgraduate education residency programs approved by the board under section 17031(1) for not less than the 3 years immediately preceding the date of an application for a limited license under section 16182(2)(c) or an application for a full license under section 17031(2), 17031(2)(a), if at least 1 of the residency programs is in the specialty area of medical practice, or in a specialty area that includes the subspecialty of medical practice, in which the applicant for a limited license proposes to practice or in which the applicant for a full license has practiced for the hospital.
(c) "Genetic counselor" means an individual who is licensed EMR H03791'25_HB4896_INTR_1 thbqpg 1 under this part to engage in the practice of genetic counseling.
(c) "Genetic counselor" means an individual who is licensed under this part to engage in the practice of genetic counseling.
(d) "Medical care services" means those services within the scope of practice of physicians who are licensed or authorized by the board, except those services that the board prohibits or otherwise restricts within a practice agreement or determines shall not be delegated by a physician because a delegation would endanger the health and safety of patients as provided for in section 17048(1).
(d) "Medical care services" means those services within the scope of practice of physicians who are licensed or authorized by the board, department, except those services that the board EMR H03791'25 (H-1) ev86py 1 prohibits are prohibited or otherwise restricts restricted within a practice agreement or determines shall not be delegated by a physician because a delegation would endanger the health and safety of patients as provided for in section 17048(1).
(i) Obtaining and evaluating individual, family, and medical histories to determine the genetic risk for genetic or medical conditions or diseases in a client, the client's descendants, or EMR H03791'25_HB4896_INTR_1 thbqpg 1 other family members of the client.
(i) Obtaining and evaluating individual, family, and medical histories to determine the genetic risk for genetic or medical conditions or diseases in a client, the client's descendants, or other family members of the client.
(ii) Discussing with a client the features, natural history, means of diagnosis, genetic and environmental factors, and management of the genetic risks of genetic or medical conditions or diseases.
(ii) Discussing with a client the features, natural history, means of diagnosis, genetic and environmental factors, and management of the genetic risks of genetic or medical conditions or EMR H03791'25 (H-1) ev86py 1 diseases.
(k) (j) "Practice of medicine" means the diagnosis, treatment, prevention, cure, or relieving of a human disease, ailment, defect, complaint, or other physical or mental condition, by attendance, advice, device, diagnostic test, or other means, or offering, EMR H03791'25_HB4896_INTR_1 thbqpg 1 undertaking, attempting to do, or holding oneself out as able to do, any of these acts.
(k) (j) "Practice of medicine" means the diagnosis, treatment, prevention, cure, or relieving of a human disease, ailment, defect, complaint, or other physical or mental condition, by attendance, advice, device, diagnostic test, or other means, or offering, undertaking, attempting to do, or holding oneself out as able to do, any of these acts.
(k) "Practice as a physician's assistant" means the practice of medicine with a participating physician under a practice agreement.
(k) "Practice as a physician's assistant" means the practice of medicine with a participating physician under a practice EMR H03791'25 (H-1) ev86py 1 agreement.
EMR H03791'25_HB4896_INTR_1 thbqpg 1 (3) For individuals applying for licensure under section 16186, the board shall not impose requirements on graduates of medical schools located outside the United States or Canada that exceed the requirements imposed on graduates of medical schools located in the United States or Canada.
(3) For individuals applying for licensure under section 16186, the board shall not impose requirements on graduates of medical schools located outside the United States or Canada that exceed the requirements imposed on graduates of medical schools EMR H03791'25 (H-1) ev86py 1 located in the United States or Canada.
EMR H03791'25_HB4896_INTR_1 thbqpg 1 (5) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, the following words, titles, or letters or a combination thereof, of the following words, titles, or letters, with or without qualifying words or phrases, are restricted in use only to those individuals authorized under this part to use the terms and in a way prescribed in this part:
(5) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, the following words, titles, or letters or a combination thereof, of the following words, titles, or letters, with or without qualifying words or phrases, are restricted in use only to those individuals EMR H03791'25 (H-1) ev86py 1 authorized under this part to use the terms and in a way prescribed in this part:
4925 (request no.
4925 of the 103rd Legislature is enacted into law.
H03792'25) of the 103rd Legislature is enacted into law.
Final Page EMR H03791'25 (H-1) ev86py
Final Page EMR H03791'25_HB4896_INTR_1 thbqpg
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Action History

  1. referred to second reading

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 146 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (146)

146 members have not signed on to this bill.

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"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

immigration healthcare labor
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

What does HB 4896 do?
Health occupations: physicians; license to engage in the practice of medicine for international medical school graduates; provide for under certain circumstances. Amends secs. 17001 & 17011 of 1978 PA 368 (MCL 333.17001 & 333.17011). TIE BAR WITH: HB 4925'25
Who sponsors HB 4896?
HB 4896 is sponsored by Jason Woolford (Republican).
What is the current status of HB 4896?
This bill has been introduced in the House. Introduced January 15, 2026. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track HB 4896?
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