Bill > SB951

Introduced Session

AN ACT Relating to the practice of health care; creating new provisions; amending ORS 58.375 and 58.376; and declaring an emergency. Whereas the State of Oregon since 1947 has recognized that a conflict exists between the eco- nomic imperatives of for-profit corporations and other business entities and the need for patient- centered medical care; and Whereas an Oregon Supreme Court decision banned corporations from owning medical practices, practicing medicine or employing physicians for that reason; and Whereas many business entities have sought to circumvent the ban through complex ownership structures, contracting practices and other means, particularly in recent years; and Whereas the State of Oregon must protect the health, safety and welfare of residents of this state by responding to initiatives that threaten to usurp or have the effect of usurping the medical judgment of physicians and other practitioners in this state in favor of cost-cutting and profit- making, often at the expense of and in opposition to the best interests of patients; and Whereas some business entities have sought to silence criticism of their operations and man- agement practices through nondisclosure, noncompetition and nondisparagement agreements and other devices that stifle reporting of and accountability for these operations and practices; and Whereas to protect the best interests of patients in this state, and enable medical practitioners to exercise medical judgment free from interference from those who are not licensed to practice medicine in this state, the Legislative Assembly must prohibit business entities from practicing medicine or employing actively practicing physicians and other practitioners and using noncompe- tition agreements, nondisclosure agreements and nondisparagement agreements to restrict reason- able and honest criticism; now, therefore,

Committee Categories

Ben Bowman (D)*,  Wlnsvey Campos (D)*,  Sarah Finger McDonald (D)*,  Lisa Fragala (D)*,  Chris Gorsek (D)*,  Cyrus Javadi (D)*,  Nancy Nathanson (D)*,  Mark Owens (R)*,  Deb Patterson (D)*,  Lisa Reynolds (D)*,  Kathleen Taylor (D)*,  Kim Wallan (R)*,  Tom Andersen (D),  Mark Gamba (D),  James Manning (D),  Emily McIntire (R),  Mark Meek (D),  Travis Nelson (D),  Katherine Pham (D),  Floyd Prozanski (D),  Thuy Tran (D),  Suzanne Weber (R),  Aaron Woods (D), 

Effective date, June 9, 2025. (on 06/20/2025)

Official Document