FSMB Endorses SHARE Act to Address Healthcare Workforce Shortages and Enhance Patient Access to Care
WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 28, 2025) – Washington, D.C. – The Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) today announced its endorsement of the bipartisan States Handling Access to Reciprocity for Employment (SHARE) Act (H.R. 2332/S. 1101), recently reintroduced in Congress by Representatives Tracey Mann (R-KS) and Joe Neguse (D-CO), alongside Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Angus King (I-ME). This critical legislation aims to address the nation’s healthcare workforce shortage by streamlining the licensure process for healthcare providers, improving access to care, and supporting state medical boards’ regulatory efforts.
The SHARE Act proposes a vital update to the licensing process by authorizing the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to conduct criminal background checks for state licensing agencies for the purpose of interstate licensure compacts. This technical correction will reduce administrative burdens and allow healthcare professionals to practice across state lines more efficiently.
"The FSMB strongly supports the SHARE Act as a critical step toward addressing our nation's healthcare workforce shortage and enhancing patient access to care," said Dr. Humayun J. Chaudhry, DO, MACP, President and CEO of FSMB. "This legislation ensures that state medical boards have the necessary tools to make informed licensing decisions while supporting the portability of licensure across states."
The SHARE Act would help alleviate ongoing roadblocks state licensing boards have been facing in obtaining FBI criminal background checks for verification of a licensee’s eligibility to practice by way of an interstate licensure compact. Inconsistent standards, protocols and guidance across the nation have resulted in some state regulatory agencies being denied, or had their authorization revoked, in obtaining FBI criminal background check verification information. This roadblock has halted some states’ ability to issue licenses through compact commissions.
The SHARE Act would help alleviate ongoing roadblocks state licensing boards have been facing in obtaining FBI criminal background checks for verification of a licensee’s eligibility to practice by way of an interstate licensure compact. Inconsistent standards, protocols and guidance across the nation have resulted in some state regulatory agencies being denied, or had their authorization revoked, in obtaining FBI criminal background check verification information. This roadblock has halted some states’ ability to issue licenses through compact commissions.
The FSMB joins a broad coalition of healthcare organizations in supporting this legislation, including the American Medical Association (AMA), American Telemedicine Association (ATA), Interstate Medical Licensure Compact Commission (IMLCC), National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN), and many others. These groups recognize the SHARE Act as a significant step toward modernizing licensure processes and improving access to care through innovations like telehealth.
About the Federation of State Medical Boards
The Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) is a national non-profit organization representing the medical boards within the United States and its territories that license and discipline allopathic and osteopathic physicians and, in some jurisdictions, other health care professionals. The FSMB serves as the voice for state medical boards, supporting them through education, assessment, research and advocacy while providing services and initiatives that promote patient safety, quality health care and regulatory best practices. The FSMB serves the public through Docinfo.org, a free physician search tool which provides background information on the more than 1 million doctors in the United States. To learn more about the FSMB, visit www.fsmb.org.