Anesthesiologist assistants; provide for licensure and regulation by Board of Medical Licensure.

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To: Public Health and Human
Services
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representative Mansell

HOUSE BILL NO. 1415

AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE LICENSURE AND REGULATION OF 1
ANESTHESIOLOGIST ASSISTANTS BY THE STATE BOARD OF MEDICAL 2
LICENSURE; TO DEFINE CERTAIN TERMS; TO PROVIDE THAT THE BOARD 3
SHALL REVIEW AND DETERMINE THE QUALIFICATIONS OF PERSONS APPLYING 4
FOR A LICENSE TO PRACTICE AS AN ANESTHESIOLOGIST ASSISTANT; TO 5
PROVIDE THE POWERS OF THE BOARD REGARDING LICENSURE OF 6
ANESTHESIOLOGIST ASSISTANTS AND PRESCRIBE THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR 7
LICENSURE; TO AUTHORIZE THE BOARD TO ISSUE TEMPORARY LICENSES; TO 8
PROVIDE THAT ANESTHESIOLOGIST ASSISTANTS MAY ASSIST IN THE 9
PRACTICE OF MEDICINE ONLY UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF AN 10
ANESTHESIOLOGIST; TO PROVIDE THAT ANESTHESIOLOGIST ASSISTANTS MAY 11
PERFORM ONLY THOSE DUTIES DELEGATED TO THEM BY A SUPERVISING 12
ANESTHESIOLOGIST; TO PROVIDE THAT A SUPERVISING ANESTHESIOLOGIST 13
SHALL DELEGATE TO AN ANESTHESIOLOGIST ASSISTANT ANY DUTIES 14
REQUIRED TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A COMPREHENSIVE ANESTHESIA CARE 15
PLAN FOR A PATIENT; TO AUTHORIZE THE BOARD TO REVOKE LICENSES AND 16
TAKE OTHER DISCIPLINARY ACTION AGAINST LICENSEES AND TO REINSTATE 17
LICENSES AFTER REVOCATION; TO PROHIBIT PRACTICING AS AN 18
ANESTHESIOLOGIST ASSISTANT WITHOUT A LICENSE, AND PROVIDE A 19
CRIMINAL PENALTY FOR PERSONS CONVICTED OF UNAUTHORIZED PRACTICE; 20
AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 21
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 22
SECTION 1. Definitions. As used in this act, the following 23
terms shall be defined as provided in this section, unless the 24
context otherwise requires: 25
(a) "Anesthesiologist" means a physician who is 26
licensed under Section 73-25-1 et seq. and who has completed a 27
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residency in anesthesiology approved by the American Board of 28
Anesthesiology or the American Osteopathic Board of 29
Anesthesiology. 30
(b) "Anesthesiologist assistant" means a person who 31
meets the requirements of Section 3 of this act and is 32
board-approved to assist in the practice of medicine under the 33
delegation of an anesthesiologist. 34
(c) "Assists" means the anesthesiologist assistant 35
personally performs those duties and responsibilities delegated by 36
the anesthesiologist. 37
(d) "Board" means the State Board of Medical Licensure. 38
(e) "Supervision" means the availability of a physician 39
anesthesiologist who can delegate, coordinate, direct or consult, 40
and oversee the implementation of the anesthesiologist's 41
intentions. 42
(f) "Certification examination" means the initial 43
certifying examination approved by the board for the certification 44
of anesthesiologist assistants, including the examination 45
administered by the National Commission for the Certification of 46
Anesthesiologist Assistants or another national anesthesiologist 47
assistant certifying agency that has been reviewed and approved by 48
the board. 49
SECTION 2. Board; powers and duties. (1) The board shall 50
review and determine the qualifications and fitness of all persons 51
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applying for a license to practice as an anesthesiologist 52
assistant. 53
(2) The board shall: 54
(a) Grant, deny, revoke and reinstate licenses of 55
anesthesiologist assistants; 56
(b) Investigate allegations that an anesthesiologist 57
assistant or the supervising anesthesiologist has engaged in 58
conduct constituting a ground for revocation; 59
(c) Conduct informal interviews and hearings; 60
(d) Adopt rules governing the practice of 61
anesthesiologist assistants; and 62
(e) Retain jurisdiction over only those licensees to 63
whom temporary or full licenses are granted under this act, 64
regardless of whether the license has expired, has lapsed or was 65
relinquished during or after any alleged occurrence of conduct. 66
(3) The board shall establish a position to be filled by an 67
anesthesiologist assistant licensed under this act. 68
SECTION 3. Licensure; use of title; temporary license; 69
temporary licensure; fees. (1) A person may not practice in this 70
state as an anesthesiologist assistant or use the title or 71
represent that the person is a certified anesthesiologist 72
assistant, anesthesiologist assistant or use the abbreviation 73
"C.A.A." or "A.A." without having a license granted by the board 74
under this act. 75
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(2) The board may grant an anesthesiologist assistant 76
license to an applicant who: 77
(a) Graduated from an anesthesiologist assistant 78
program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied 79
Health Education Programs or its predecessor or successor 80
organization; 81
(b) Satisfactorily completed a certification 82
examination administered by the National Commission for the 83
Certification of Anesthesiologist Assistants or another national 84
certifying agency that has been reviewed and approved by the board 85
and that is currently certified; 86
(c) Completes an application form; and 87
(d) Pays the required application and licensure fees as 88
prescribed by the board in rule. 89
(3) A license issued under this act, other than a temporary 90
license, is valid for a period of one (1) year. A licensee shall 91
renew the license every other year on or before June 30 by 92
completing and submitting to the board a renewal application form 93
as prescribed by the board and the prescribed renewal fee before 94
the current license expires. The board shall provide renewal 95
notices to licensees at least one (1) month before the expiration 96
date. 97
(4) The board may reinstate a lapsed license if the 98
applicant pays a reinstatement fee as prescribed by the board in 99
rule and meets the requirements for initial licensure. 100
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(5) The board may issue a temporary license to any person 101
who: 102
(a) Completes a temporary license application; 103
(b) Pays the required temporary license fee as 104
prescribed by the board in rule; and 105
(c) Successfully completes a Commission on 106
Accreditation of Allied Health Education program or another 107
board-approved program for educating and training anesthesiologist 108
assistants but who has not passed a certification examination. 109
The person shall take the next available certification 110
examination after receiving a temporary license. A temporary 111
license may not be issued for a period of more than six (6) months 112
and is subject to any other requirements that the board adopts by 113
rule. 114
SECTION 4. Scope of practice. (1) This section does not 115
apply to persons who are enrolled in an anesthesiologist assistant 116
education program approved by the board. 117
(2) An anesthesiologist assistant may assist in the practice 118
of medicine only under the supervision of an anesthesiologist. 119
The anesthesiologist assistant may perform only those duties and 120
responsibilities delegated to the anesthesiologist assistant by 121
the supervising anesthesiologist. 122
(3) The supervising anesthesiologist shall be allowed to 123
supervise anesthesiologist assistants in a manner consistent with 124
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federal rules or regulations for reimbursement for anesthesia 125
services. 126
(4) The supervising anesthesiologist shall be immediately 127
available to the anesthesiologist assistant who assists in the 128
delivery of medical care such that the supervising 129
anesthesiologist is able to intervene if needed. 130
(5) An anesthesiologist assistant's practice may not exceed 131
his or her education and training, and the scope of practice of 132
the supervising anesthesiologist. A medical care task assigned by 133
the supervising anesthesiologist to the anesthesiologist assistant 134
may not be delegated by the anesthesiologist assistant to another 135
person. 136
(6) A supervising anesthesiologist shall delegate to an 137
anesthesiologist assistant any duties required to develop and 138
implement a comprehensive anesthesia care plan for a patient. 139
(7) This act does not prevent an anesthesiologist assistant 140
from having access to and being able to obtain prescription drugs 141
as directed by the supervising anesthesiologist. 142
SECTION 5. Regulation of licensure. (1) The board may 143
refuse to renew and may revoke, suspend or restrict a license or 144
take other disciplinary action, including imposing conditions or 145
restrictions on a license under this act and the rules adopted 146
under this act. 147
(2) If the board determines that a person is ineligible for 148
licensure, that an application for licensure should be denied, 149
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that a license should be suspended or that any other action should 150
be taken on a current license, the board shall adopt and enter its 151
written order and findings. 152
SECTION 6. Reinstatement of license; requirements. (1) The 153
board may issue a new license to an anesthesiologist assistant 154
whose license was previously revoked by the board if the applicant 155
applies in writing to the board and demonstrates to the board's 156
satisfaction that the applicant is completely rehabilitated with 157
respect to the conduct that was the basis for the revocation. In 158
making its decision, the board shall determine: 159
(a) That the applicant has not engaged in any conduct 160
during the revocation period that would constitute a basis for 161
revocation under rules adopted by the board; 162
(b) If a criminal conviction was a basis of the 163
revocation, that the applicant's civil rights have been fully 164
restored pursuant to statute or any other applicable recognized 165
judicial or gubernatorial order; 166
(c) That the applicant has made restitution to any 167
aggrieved person as ordered by a court of competent jurisdiction; 168
and 169
(d) That the applicant demonstrates any other standard 170
of rehabilitation the board determines is appropriate. 171
(2) Except as provided in subsection (3) of this section, a 172
person may not apply for license reinstatement earlier than one 173
(1) year after the date of revocation. 174
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ST: Anesthesiologist assistants; provide for
licensure and regulation by Board of Medical
Licensure.
(3) If a license revocation was based on a conviction of a 175
felony or an offense involving moral turpitude and that conviction 176
has been reversed on appeal, the board shall vacate its previous 177
order to revoke the license and the anesthesiologist assistant may 178
apply for reinstatement as soon as the court enters the reversal. 179
(4) An applicant for reinstatement shall comply with all 180
initial licensure requirements prescribed by this act and rules 181
adopted by the board under this act. 182
SECTION 7. Unauthorized practice; violation; penalties. Any 183
person practicing as an anesthesiologist assistant or representing 184
that he or she is an anesthesiologist assistant without a license, 185
or any person employing an unlicensed person to practice as an 186
anesthesiologist assistant, is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon 187
conviction, shall be punished by a fine of not more than One 188
Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) or by imprisonment in the county jail 189
for not more than one (1) year, or both. Each violation 190
constitutes a separate offense for which the penalty in this 191
section may be assessed. 192
SECTION 8. This act shall take effect and be in force from 193
and after July 1, 2026. 194