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Mississippi Senate Bill SB2662

Mississippi 2025 Regular Session

Mississippi Senate Bill SB2662 Compare Versions

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11 MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE 2025 Regular Session To: Public Health and Welfare By: Senator(s) Blackwell Senate Bill 2662 AN ACT TO CREATE NEW SECTION 73-44-1, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO STATE LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS; TO CREATE NEW SECTION 73-44-3, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CREATE THE STATE BOARD OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS AND TO SET FORTH THE MEMBERSHIP COMPOSITION, APPOINTMENT PROCESS, QUALIFICATIONS AND TERMS FOR THE BOARD; TO CREATE NEW SECTION 73-44-5, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT THE CHAIRMAN OF THE STATE BOARD OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS SHALL BE ELECTED BY ITS BOARD MEMBERS, THAT THE BOARD SHALL MEET AT LEAST QUARTERLY, THAT A MAJORITY OF THE BOARD SHALL CONSTITUTE A QUORUM FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONDUCTING BUSINESS AND THAT MEMBERS OF THE BOARD SHALL BE ENTITLED TO ACTUAL TRAVEL EXPENSES AND PER DIEM AS PROVIDED IN SECTIONS 5-3-41 AND 25-3-69; TO CREATE NEW SECTION 73-44-7, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO SET FORTH POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE STATE BOARD OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS; TO CREATE NEW SECTION 73-44-9, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SHALL REQUEST AN ANNUAL BUDGET AND PROVIDE A MEETING SPACE AND ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT FOR THE STATE BOARD OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: SECTION 1. The following shall be codified as Section 73-44-1, Mississippi Code of 1972: 73-44-1. The Legislature finds that: (a) There is a growing complexity in health professions that can lead to an overlap in the purview of existing licensed professions. (b) The Legislature is often called upon to make decisions about issues related to the scope of professional practice for multiple regulated health professions. (c) A source of sound policy guidance will provide the Legislature with meaningful assistance in addressing these issues. SECTION 2. The following shall be codified as Section 73-44-3, Mississippi Code of 1972: 73-44-3. (1) For purposes of this chapter, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, "board" shall mean the State Board of Health Professions, which is hereby created. The board shall consist of one (1) member from each of the following: (a) The State Board of Medical Licensure; (b) The State Board of Pharmacy; (c) The Board of Nursing; (d) The Board of Chiropractors; (e) The Board of Dental Examiners; and (f) The Board of Optometry. (2) All members described in subsection (1) of this section shall be appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate. Terms shall be for four (4) years and until a successor appointee is duly qualified. Terms shall commence on July 1 and end on June 30. (3) In addition to the members set out in subsection (1) of this section, there shall be five (5) members to be appointed by the Governor from the state at large with the advice and consent of the Senate. The term of office for appointees provided for in this subsection shall be for four (4) years and until their successor is duly qualified. Terms of office shall begin on July 1 and end on June 30. These members shall not hold a license to practice any of the professions regulated by the boards set out in subsection (1) of this section. (4) In addition to the members set out in subsections (1) and (3) of this section, two (2) members shall be the Chairmen of the House Public Health and Human Services Committee and the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee. (5) No member of the board who represents a health regulatory board shall serve as such until after he ceases to be a member of a health regulatory board. SECTION 3. The following shall be codified as Section 73-44-5, Mississippi Code of 1972: 73-44-5. The chairman of the board shall be elected by the board from its members. The board shall meet at least quarterly and may hold additional meetings as necessary to perform its duties. A majority of the board shall constitute a quorum for the purpose of conducting business. Members of the board shall be entitled to actual travel expenses and per diem as provided in Sections 5-3-41 and 25-3-69. SECTION 4. The following shall be codified as Section 73-44-7, Mississippi Code of 1972: 73-44-7. The board shall have the following powers and duties: (a) To evaluate the need for coordination among the health regulatory boards and their staffs, and to report its findings and recommendations to the boards; (b) To evaluate all health care professions and occupations in the state, including those regulated and those not regulated by other provisions of this title, and to consider whether each such profession or occupation should be regulated and the degree of regulation to be imposed. Whenever the board determines that the public interest requires that a health care profession or occupation which is not regulated by law should be regulated, the board shall recommend to the Legislature a regulatory system to establish the appropriate degree of regulation; (c) To serve as a forum for resolving conflicts among the health regulatory boards; (d) To advise the Governor and the Legislature on matters relating to the regulation or deregulation of health care professions and occupations; (e) To make bylaws that govern the board and enable the proper fulfillment of its duties under this chapter; (f) To promote the development of standards to evaluate the competency of the professions and occupations represented on the board; (g) To periodically review the investigatory, disciplinary and enforcement processes of the individual boards to ensure the protection of the public and the fair and equitable treatment of health professionals; and (h) To examine scope of practice conflicts involving regulated and unregulated professions, and to advise the health regulatory boards and the Legislature of the nature and degree of such conflicts. SECTION 5. The following shall be codified as Section 73-44-9, Mississippi Code of 1972: 73-44-9. The Department of Health shall annually request a budget for the board and shall provide a meeting space and administrative support for the board's operations. SECTION 6. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2025.
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33 MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
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55 2025 Regular Session
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77 To: Public Health and Welfare
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99 By: Senator(s) Blackwell
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1111 # Senate Bill 2662
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1313 AN ACT TO CREATE NEW SECTION 73-44-1, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO STATE LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS; TO CREATE NEW SECTION 73-44-3, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CREATE THE STATE BOARD OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS AND TO SET FORTH THE MEMBERSHIP COMPOSITION, APPOINTMENT PROCESS, QUALIFICATIONS AND TERMS FOR THE BOARD; TO CREATE NEW SECTION 73-44-5, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT THE CHAIRMAN OF THE STATE BOARD OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS SHALL BE ELECTED BY ITS BOARD MEMBERS, THAT THE BOARD SHALL MEET AT LEAST QUARTERLY, THAT A MAJORITY OF THE BOARD SHALL CONSTITUTE A QUORUM FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONDUCTING BUSINESS AND THAT MEMBERS OF THE BOARD SHALL BE ENTITLED TO ACTUAL TRAVEL EXPENSES AND PER DIEM AS PROVIDED IN SECTIONS 5-3-41 AND 25-3-69; TO CREATE NEW SECTION 73-44-7, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO SET FORTH POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE STATE BOARD OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS; TO CREATE NEW SECTION 73-44-9, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SHALL REQUEST AN ANNUAL BUDGET AND PROVIDE A MEETING SPACE AND ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT FOR THE STATE BOARD OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
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1515 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
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1717 SECTION 1. The following shall be codified as Section 73-44-1, Mississippi Code of 1972:
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1919 73-44-1. The Legislature finds that:
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2121 (a) There is a growing complexity in health professions that can lead to an overlap in the purview of existing licensed professions.
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2323 (b) The Legislature is often called upon to make decisions about issues related to the scope of professional practice for multiple regulated health professions.
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2525 (c) A source of sound policy guidance will provide the Legislature with meaningful assistance in addressing these issues.
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2727 SECTION 2. The following shall be codified as Section 73-44-3, Mississippi Code of 1972:
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2929 73-44-3. (1) For purposes of this chapter, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, "board" shall mean the State Board of Health Professions, which is hereby created. The board shall consist of one (1) member from each of the following:
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3131 (a) The State Board of Medical Licensure;
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3333 (b) The State Board of Pharmacy;
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3535 (c) The Board of Nursing;
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3737 (d) The Board of Chiropractors;
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3939 (e) The Board of Dental Examiners; and
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4141 (f) The Board of Optometry.
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4343 (2) All members described in subsection (1) of this section shall be appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate. Terms shall be for four (4) years and until a successor appointee is duly qualified. Terms shall commence on July 1 and end on June 30.
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4545 (3) In addition to the members set out in subsection (1) of this section, there shall be five (5) members to be appointed by the Governor from the state at large with the advice and consent of the Senate. The term of office for appointees provided for in this subsection shall be for four (4) years and until their successor is duly qualified. Terms of office shall begin on July 1 and end on June 30. These members shall not hold a license to practice any of the professions regulated by the boards set out in subsection (1) of this section.
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4747 (4) In addition to the members set out in subsections (1) and (3) of this section, two (2) members shall be the Chairmen of the House Public Health and Human Services Committee and the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee.
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4949 (5) No member of the board who represents a health regulatory board shall serve as such until after he ceases to be a member of a health regulatory board.
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5151 SECTION 3. The following shall be codified as Section 73-44-5, Mississippi Code of 1972:
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5353 73-44-5. The chairman of the board shall be elected by the board from its members. The board shall meet at least quarterly and may hold additional meetings as necessary to perform its duties. A majority of the board shall constitute a quorum for the purpose of conducting business. Members of the board shall be entitled to actual travel expenses and per diem as provided in Sections 5-3-41 and 25-3-69.
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5555 SECTION 4. The following shall be codified as Section 73-44-7, Mississippi Code of 1972:
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5757 73-44-7. The board shall have the following powers and duties:
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5959 (a) To evaluate the need for coordination among the health regulatory boards and their staffs, and to report its findings and recommendations to the boards;
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6161 (b) To evaluate all health care professions and occupations in the state, including those regulated and those not regulated by other provisions of this title, and to consider whether each such profession or occupation should be regulated and the degree of regulation to be imposed. Whenever the board determines that the public interest requires that a health care profession or occupation which is not regulated by law should be regulated, the board shall recommend to the Legislature a regulatory system to establish the appropriate degree of regulation;
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6363 (c) To serve as a forum for resolving conflicts among the health regulatory boards;
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6565 (d) To advise the Governor and the Legislature on matters relating to the regulation or deregulation of health care professions and occupations;
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6767 (e) To make bylaws that govern the board and enable the proper fulfillment of its duties under this chapter;
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6969 (f) To promote the development of standards to evaluate the competency of the professions and occupations represented on the board;
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7171 (g) To periodically review the investigatory, disciplinary and enforcement processes of the individual boards to ensure the protection of the public and the fair and equitable treatment of health professionals; and
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7373 (h) To examine scope of practice conflicts involving regulated and unregulated professions, and to advise the health regulatory boards and the Legislature of the nature and degree of such conflicts.
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7575 SECTION 5. The following shall be codified as Section 73-44-9, Mississippi Code of 1972:
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7777 73-44-9. The Department of Health shall annually request a budget for the board and shall provide a meeting space and administrative support for the board's operations.
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7979 SECTION 6. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2025.