Establishes education requirements for certain officers of State Board of Medical Examiners.

2026-2027 Regular Session Introduced by Joe Lagana and 2 co-sponsors

The bill adds an elected vice president to the New Jersey State Board of Medical Examiners and requires both the president and vice president to be licensed physicians.

Received in the Assembly, Referred to Assembly Health Committee

Purpose and intent

Senate Bill No. 1403 (S.1403) aims to modify the governance structure of the New Jersey State Board of Medical Examiners (the board) by adding an elected vice president and by specifying education requirements for the president and vice president.

The bill seeks to ensure that the board’s leadership includes an additional officer and that the president and vice president are licensed physicians (allopathic M.D., osteopathic D.O., or podiatric D.P.M.).

Key provisions

Officers to be elected:

The board must elect a vice president in addition to the existing officers: president, secretary, and treasurer.

Qualifications for executive officers:

The president and the vice president must be licensed practitioners who are one of the following: doctor of medicine (M.D.), doctor of osteopathic medicine (D.O.), or doctor of podiatric medicine (D.P.M.).

Effective date:

The act would take effect on the first day of the fourth month after enactment to allow the board time to meet the new education requirements for its officers.

Who/what would be affected

The State Board of Medical Examiners (the board) would be directly affected, as it would:

Elect an additional officer (vice president).
Ensure that the president and vice president meet the specified medical licensure qualifications.

Board operations and governance processes would adjust to accommodate the new officer position and the associated education requirements.

Procedural and timeline details

Legislative process milestones:

Introduced in the Senate and referred to the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee.
Transferred to the Senate Commerce Committee, where it was reported favorably (2nd Reading) and subsequently passed by the Senate (40-0) on June 18, 2026.
After Senate passage, it was received in the Assembly and referred to the Assembly Health Committee.

Enactment and implementation timeline:

The bill specifies that its provisions would take effect on the first day of the fourth month after enactment, providing time for the board to comply with the new education requirements for its officers.

Additional notes

The bill was pre-filed for the 2026-2027 session and includes changes required by technical review.

Primary sponsors (co-sponsors) include Benjie Wimberly, Bob Singer, and Joe Lagana.

This summary outlines the bill’s core changes to board leadership structure, qualifications for top officers, and the expected timeline for implementation.