HB316 • 2026

Hearing aid specialists; reduce minimum age for person applying for license and set time period to pass exams.

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 73-14-17, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO LOWER THE MINIMUM AGE FOR A PERSON APPLYING FOR A LICENSE AS A HEARING AID SPECIALIST FROM TWENTY-ONE TO EIGHTEEN YEARS; TO AMEND SECTION 73-14-19, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT AN APPLICANT FOR LICENSE SHALL HAVE EIGHTEEN MONTHS TO SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE THE REQUIRED EXAMINATIONS FOR LICENSURE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

Did Not Pass

The latest official action shows that this bill did not move forward in that session.

Sponsor: Creekmore IV
Last action: 2026-02-12
Official status: Dead
Effective date: July 1, 20

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material did not provide specific details about required fees and educational qualifications, only that such requirements exist.

Lowering the Minimum Age for Hearing Aid Specialists

This bill lowers the minimum age to become a licensed hearing aid specialist in Mississippi from twenty-one years old to eighteen years old and sets an eighteen-month period for applicants to pass required exams.

What This Bill Does

Changes the law so that people can apply for a license as a hearing aid specialist at age eighteen instead of twenty-one.
Gives applicants up to eighteen months to complete all necessary exams after submitting their initial application.

Who It Names or Affects

People who want to become licensed hearing aid specialists in Mississippi
The board that oversees licensing for hearing aid specialists

Terms To Know

Hearing Aid Specialist: A professional who fits, dispenses, and sells hearing aids.
Licensure: The process of getting a license to work in a specific profession.

Limits and Unknowns

This bill did not pass during the session it was introduced.
It is unclear how many people will be affected by this change since it lowers the minimum age for licensing.
The bill does not specify educational requirements or fees beyond mentioning they exist.

Bill History

2026-02-12 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System
02/12 (H) Died On Calendar
2026-02-11 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System
02/11 (H) Read the Third Time
2026-02-03 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System
02/03 (H) Title Suff Do Pass
2026-01-08 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System
01/08 (H) Referred To Public Health and Human Services

Official Summary Text

Hearing aid specialists; reduce minimum age for person applying for license and set time period to pass exams.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

H. B. No. 316 *HR26/R76* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/HR26/R76
PAGE 1 (ELS\KW)

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

By: Representative Creekmore IV

HOUSE BILL NO. 316

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 73-14-17, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, 1
TO LOWER THE MINIMUM AGE FOR A PERSON APPLYING FOR A LICENSE AS A 2
HEARING AID SPECIALIST FROM TWENTY-ONE TO EIGHTEEN YEARS; TO AMEND 3
SECTION 73-14-19, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT AN 4
APPLICANT FOR LICENSE SHALL HAVE EIGHTEEN MONTHS TO SUCCESSFULLY 5
COMPLETE THE REQUIRED EXAMINATIONS FOR LICENSURE; AND FOR RELATED 6
PURPOSES. 7
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 8
SECTION 1. Section 73-14-17, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 9
amended as follows: 10
73-14-17. An applicant for a license shall pay a fee of One 11
Hundred Dollars ($100.00) and shall show to the satisfaction of 12
the board that he: 13
(a) Is * * * eighteen (18) years of age or older. 14
(b) Has an education equivalent to a four-year course 15
in an accredited high school. 16
Any increase in the fee charged by the board under this 17
section shall be in accordance with the provisions of Section 18
41-3-65. 19
H. B. No. 316 *HR26/R76* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R76
PAGE 2 (ELS\KW)
ST: Hearing aid specialists; reduce minimum age
for person applying for license and set time
period to pass exams.
No governmental entity or agency shall be required to pay the 20
fee or fees set forth in this section. 21
Each application or filing made under this section shall 22
include the social security number(s) of the applicant in 23
accordance with Section 93-11-64. 24
SECTION 2. Section 73-14-19, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 25
amended as follows: 26
73-14-19. (1) An applicant for a license who is notified by 27
the board that he has fulfilled the requirements of Section 28
73-14-17 and upon paying a testing fee determined by the 29
department as necessary to cover the expense of the administration 30
of the examination not to exceed One Hundred Fifty Dollars 31
($150.00), shall appear at a time, place and before such persons 32
as the board may designate, to be examined by written and 33
practical test in order to demonstrate that he is qualified to 34
practice the fitting, dispensing and selling of hearing aids. Any 35
increase in the fee charged by the department under this section 36
shall be in accordance with the provisions of Section 41-3-65. 37
(2) An applicant for a license shall have eighteen (18) 38
months from the date of filing the initial application with the 39
board to successfully complete all required examinations. 40
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from 41
and after July 1, 2026. 42