Landscape architects; authorize to participate with multi-disciplinary engineer and architecture firms.

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To: Business and Commerce
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representative Creekmore IV

HOUSE BILL NO. 346

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 73-1-19, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO 1
REVISE THE MISSISSIPPI ARCHITECT LICENSING LAWS TO AUTHORIZE 2
MULTI-DISCIPLINARY FIRMS TO INCLUDE ARCHITECTS, LANDSCAPE 3
ARCHITECTS AND ENGINEERS AS LONG AS ONE ACTIVE MEMBER OR 4
STOCKHOLDER OF THE FIRM HOLDS A CERTIFICATE TO PRACTICE 5
ARCHITECTURE IN THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI; TO AMEND SECTION 73-2-5, 6
MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REVISE CERTAIN PROVISIONS RELATING TO 7
A PERSON INDICATING HE OR SHE IS PRACTICING LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE 8
OR IS A LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 9
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 10
SECTION 1. Section 73-1-19, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 11
amended as follows: 12
73-1-19. (1) For purposes of this section, the term 13
"business entity" means any partnership, professional association, 14
joint enterprise, corporation, professional corporation, limited 15
liability company or professional limited liability company 16
engaging in the practice of architectural services in this state. 17
(2) * * * Each active partner, member or stockholder, and 18
each officer, director or manager * * * of a foreign or domestic 19
business entity of architects, architects and landscape 20
architects, architects and engineers, or architects, landscape 21
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architects and engineers, must hold a certificate to practice 22
architecture, landscape architecture or engineering in that 23
member's state of residence; and, * * * each foreign * * * 24
business entity doing business in this state * * * shall have at 25
least one (1) active member or stockholder * * * who holds a 26
certificate to practice architecture in this state. No * * * 27
business entity shall be entitled to a certificate to practice 28
architecture in this state. * * * 29
(3) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed * * * to 30
prohibit a * * * business entity that is composed of one (1) or 31
several duly registered architects and duly registered landscape 32
architects, or one (1) or several duly registered professional 33
engineers * * * and duly registered architects, or one (1) or 34
several duly registered professional engineers, duly registered 35
architects and duly registered landscape architects; and it shall 36
be lawful for such * * * business entity to use in its title any 37
combination of the words * * *, "engineers and architects" 38
"architects and landscape architects", or "engineers, landscape 39
architects and architects"; provided, however, that all 40
announcements, cards, stationery, printed matter and listings 41
of * * * the business entity shall indicate * * * whether * * * 42
each member is a registered architect, * * * a registered engineer 43
or a registered landscape architect * * *, and shall * * * 44
disclose the name of at least one (1) person who is * * * licensed 45
as an architect in this state * * *. Employees of a * * * 46
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business entity who are not registered as architects, * * * 47
engineers or landscape architects * * * in a business entity 48
between architects * * *, architects and engineers, architects and 49
landscape architects, or architects, landscape architects and 50
engineers, may only use business cards for that * * * business 51
entity if the employee's job title * * * is clearly stated. 52
* * * 53
(4) In any business entity with ownership by a registered 54
landscape architect or landscape architects, as described in this 55
section, a minimum of two-thirds (2/3) of the partners, joint 56
owners, stockholders, directors, officers, members, managers and 57
others, depending on the legal structure of the business entity, 58
shall be registered architects or registered professional 59
engineers and no more than one-third (1/3) of the individual or 60
collective ownership interest of the business entity may be owned 61
by the landscape architect or landscape architects, whichever is 62
applicable. 63
(5) In a business entity between one (1) or several 64
registered architects and registered professional engineers or one 65
(1) or several registered architects and registered landscape 66
architects, or one (1) or several registered architects, 67
registered engineers and registered landscape architects engaging 68
in the practice of architectural services in this state, any 69
contract or agreement to provide architectural services as the 70
prime design professional shall be executed on behalf of the 71
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business entity by a partner, stockholder, director, member, 72
manager or officer of the business entity, with authority to 73
contractually bind the business entity. A partner, stockholder, 74
director, member, manager or officer who is an architect 75
registered in this state shall exercise responsible control over 76
the particular architectural services contracted for by the 77
business entity and that architect's name and seal shall appear on 78
all documents prepared by the business entity in its practice of 79
architecture. Other partners, stockholders, directors, members, 80
managers or officers shall not direct the professional judgment of 81
the architect in responsible control over the practice of 82
architecture by the business entity. Any business entity engaging 83
in the practice of architectural services in this state shall 84
furnish the board with such information about its organization, 85
ownership and activities as the board shall require through the 86
board's rulemaking authority under Section 73-1-9. 87
(6) No business entity shall be relieved of responsibility 88
for the conduct or acts of its agents, employees, officers, 89
partners, stockholders, directors, members or managers. No 90
individual practicing architecture under this chapter shall be 91
relieved of responsibility for architectural services performed by 92
reason of employment or other relationship with any such business 93
entity. A partner, stockholder, director, member or manager of a 94
business entity between architects, architects and engineers, 95
architects and landscape architects, or architects, landscape 96
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architects and engineers is not liable for the negligence, 97
wrongful acts, misconduct, or omissions of other agents, 98
employees, partners, stockholders, directors, members, or managers 99
of the business entity unless the individual is at fault for 100
failing to provide responsible control over them. 101
(7) Each person holding a certificate to practice 102
architecture in this state shall post such certificate in a 103
prominent place in the architect's place of business. Failure to 104
post the certificate shall be sufficient cause for revocation of 105
such certificate. 106
(8) The following persons and practices shall be exempted 107
from the provisions of this chapter: 108
Draftsmen, students, clerks-of-work and other employees of 109
those lawfully practicing as registered architects under the 110
provisions of this chapter acting under the instruction, 111
responsible control or supervision of * * * a licensed architect. 112
SECTION 2. Section 73-2-5, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 113
amended as follows: 114
73-2-5. In order to safeguard life, health and property, no 115
person shall practice landscape architecture in this state, or use 116
the title "landscape architect", or any prefix, suffix or other 117
form thereof on any sign, title, card or device to indicate that 118
such person is practicing landscape architecture or is a landscape 119
architect, unless such person shall have secured from the board a 120
license as landscape architect in the manner hereinafter provided, 121
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ST: Landscape architects; authorize to
participate with multi-disciplinary engineer and
architecture firms.
and shall thereafter comply with the provisions of this chapter. 122
Every holder of a current license shall display it in a 123
conspicuous place in his or her principal office or place of 124
employment. 125
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from 126
and after July 1, 2026. 127