SB 2192

MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2026 Regular Session
To: Public Health and Welfare
By: Senator(s) Blackwell
Senate Bill 2192
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 or she
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, 2026.