[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1832 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1832

 To amend title 10, United States Code, to expand the State licensure 
    exception for certain health-care professionals, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 11, 2011

Mr. Thompson of Pennsylvania (for himself, Ms. Berkley, Mr. McCaul, Mr. 
  Meeks, Mr. Platts, Mrs. Christensen, Mr. Cleaver, Mr. Kissell, Mr. 
  Westmoreland, Mr. Hanna, Mr. Bucshon, and Mr. Long) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services, 
and in addition to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, for a period to 
      be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
                          committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend title 10, United States Code, to expand the State licensure 
    exception for certain health-care professionals, and for other 
                               purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Servicemembers' Telemedicine and E-
Health Portability Act of 2011'' or the ``STEP Act''.

SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans 
        Affairs need to renew and improve efforts to reach out to rural 
        America, which has less access to care;
            (2) behavioral health services for active duty members of 
        the Armed Forces, members of the reserve components, members of 
        the National Guard, and veterans need to be more easily and 
        readily accessible; and
            (3) medical records and records of deployment need a ``warm 
        transition'' and better collaboration between the Department of 
        Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

SEC. 3. EXPANSION OF STATE LICENSURE EXCEPTION FOR CERTAIN HEALTH CARE 
              PROFESSIONALS.

    (a) In General.--Section 1094(d) of title 10, United States Code, 
is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1)--
                    (A) by inserting ``at any location'' before ``in 
                any State''; and
                    (B) by striking ``regardless'' and all that follows 
                through the end and inserting ``regardless of where 
                such health-care professional or the patient are 
                located, so long as the practice is within the scope of 
                the authorized Federal duties.''; and
            (2) in paragraph (2), by striking ``member of the armed 
        forces'' and inserting ``member of the armed forces, civilian 
        employee of the Department of Defense, personal services 
        contractor under section 1091 of this title, or other health-
        care professional credentialed and privileged at a Federal 
        health care institution or location specially designated by the 
        Secretary for this purpose''.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs, shall submit to Congress a report on the 
plans to develop and expand programs to use new Internet and 
communication technologies for improved access to care and resources, 
including telemedicine, telehealth care services, and telebehavioral 
health programs that ensure patient privacy.
    (c) Regulations.--The Secretary of Defense shall prescribe 
regulations to carry out the amendments made by this Act.
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