Universal Recognition of Occupational License Act; exempt practices of dentistry and optometry from.

H. B. No. 487 *HR31/R6* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/HR31/R6
PAGE 1 (ELS\JAB)

To: Business and Commerce;
Judiciary A
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representative Remak

HOUSE BILL NO. 487

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 73-50-2, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO 1
EXEMPT THE PRACTICES OF DENTISTRY AND OPTOMETRY FROM THE UNIVERSAL 2
RECOGNITION OF OCCUPATIONAL LICENSES ACT; TO AMEND SECTIONS 3
73-9-24 AND 73-19-25, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CONFORM TO THE 4
PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 5
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 6
SECTION 1. Section 73-50-2, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 7
amended as follows: 8
73-50-2. (1) This section shall be known as the "Universal 9
Recognition of Occupational Licenses Act." 10
(2) As used in this section, the term: 11
(a) "License" means any license (other than a privilege 12
license), certificate, registration, permit or other evidence of 13
qualification that an individual is required by the state to 14
obtain before he or she may engage in or represent himself or 15
herself to be a member of a particular profession or occupation. 16
(b) "Occupational licensing board" means any state 17
board, commission, department or other agency in Mississippi that 18
is established for the primary purpose of regulating the entry of 19
H. B. No. 487 *HR31/R6* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR31/R6
PAGE 2 (ELS\JAB)

persons into, and/or the conduct of persons within, a particular 20
profession or occupation, and which is authorized to issue 21
licenses. For the purposes of this section, the State Department 22
of Education shall be considered an occupational licensing board 23
when issuing teacher licenses under Section 37-3-2. 24
(3) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an 25
occupational licensing board shall issue a license or government 26
certification in the discipline applied for and at the same 27
practice level to a person who establishes residence in this state 28
if, upon application to an occupational licensing board, the 29
applicant satisfies the following conditions: 30
(a) The applicant holds a current and valid license in 31
good standing in another state in an occupation with a similar 32
scope of practice, as determined by the occupational licensing 33
board in Mississippi, and has held this license from the 34
occupational licensing board in the other state for at least one 35
(1) year; and 36
(b) There were minimum education requirements and, if 37
applicable, work experience, examination and clinical supervision 38
requirements in effect, and the other state verifies that the 39
applicant met those requirements in order to be licensed in that 40
state; and 41
(c) The applicant has not committed any act in the 42
other state that would have constituted grounds for refusal, 43
suspension or revocation of a license to practice that occupation 44
H. B. No. 487 *HR31/R6* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR31/R6
PAGE 3 (ELS\JAB)

in Mississippi at the time the act was committed, and the 45
applicant does not have a disqualifying criminal record as 46
determined by the occupational licensing board in Mississippi 47
under Mississippi law; and 48
(d) The applicant did not surrender a license because 49
of negligence or intentional misconduct related to the applicant's 50
work in the occupation in another state; and 51
(e) The applicant does not have a complaint, allegation 52
or investigation pending before an occupational licensing board or 53
other board in another state that relates to unprofessional 54
conduct or an alleged crime. If the applicant has a complaint, 55
allegation or investigation pending, the occupational licensing 56
board in Mississippi shall not issue or deny a license to the 57
applicant until the complaint, allegation or investigation is 58
resolved, or the applicant otherwise satisfies the criteria for 59
licensure in Mississippi to the satisfaction of the occupational 60
licensing board in Mississippi; and 61
(f) The applicant pays all applicable fees in 62
Mississippi. 63
(4) Notwithstanding any other law, the occupational 64
licensing board shall issue a license to an applicant in the 65
discipline applied for and at the same practice level, as 66
determined by the occupational licensing board, to a person who 67
establishes residence in this state based on work experience in 68
another state, if all the following apply: 69
H. B. No. 487 *HR31/R6* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR31/R6
PAGE 4 (ELS\JAB)

(a) The applicant worked in a state that does not use a 70
license to regulate a lawful occupation, but Mississippi uses a 71
license to regulate a lawful occupation with a similar scope of 72
practice, as determined by the occupational licensing board; 73
(b) The applicant worked for at least three (3) years 74
in the lawful occupation; and 75
(c) The applicant satisfies the provisions of 76
paragraphs (c) through (f) of subsection (3) of this section. 77
(5) An occupational licensing board may require an applicant 78
to pass a jurisprudential examination specific to relevant state 79
laws in Mississippi that regulate the occupation if the issuance 80
of a license in Mississippi requires an applicant to pass a 81
jurisprudential examination specific to relevant state statutes 82
and administrative rules in Mississippi that regulate the 83
occupation. 84
(6) For purposes of this section, residence may be 85
established by demonstrating proof of a state-issued 86
identification card or one (1) of the following: 87
(a) Current Mississippi residential utility bill with 88
the applicant's name and address; 89
(b) Documentation of the applicant's current ownership, 90
or current lease of a residence in Mississippi; 91
(c) Documentation of current in-state employment or 92
notarized letter of promise of employment of the applicant or his 93
or her spouse; or 94
H. B. No. 487 *HR31/R6* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR31/R6
PAGE 5 (ELS\JAB)

(d) Any verifiable documentation demonstrating 95
Mississippi residency. 96
(7) A person who receives a license under this section is 97
subject to the laws regulating the person's practice in this state 98
and is subject to the occupational licensing board's jurisdiction. 99
(8) A license issued under this section is valid only in 100
this state and does not make the person eligible to be part of an 101
interstate compact. 102
(9) The occupational licensing board shall issue or deny the 103
license to the applicant within one hundred twenty (120) days 104
after receiving an application. 105
If the application requires longer than two (2) weeks to 106
process, the occupational licensing board shall issue a temporary 107
practice permit within thirty (30) days after receiving the 108
application if the applicant submits an affidavit, under penalties 109
of perjury, affirming that he or she satisfies the provisions of 110
subsection (3) or subsection (4) and pays all applicable fees as 111
required by subsection (3)(f) or subsection (4)(c). 112
The applicant may practice under the temporary permit until a 113
license is granted, or until a notice to deny the license is 114
issued, in accordance with rules adopted by the occupational 115
licensing board. A temporary license will expire in three hundred 116
sixty-five (365) days after its issuance if the applicant fails to 117
satisfy the requirement for licensure in subsections (3) through 118
(5), as applicable. 119
H. B. No. 487 *HR31/R6* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR31/R6
PAGE 6 (ELS\JAB)

(10) (a) The applicant may appeal any of the following 120
decisions of an occupational licensing board to a court of general 121
jurisdiction: 122
(i) Denial of a license; 123
(ii) Determination of the occupation; 124
(iii) Determination of the similarity of the scope 125
of practice of the license issued; or 126
(iv) Other determinations under this section. 127
(b) The court shall determine all questions of law, 128
including the interpretation of a constitutional or statutory 129
provision or a rule adopted by an occupational licensing board, 130
without regard to any previous determination that may have been 131
made on the question in any action before the occupational 132
licensing board. 133
(11) An occupational licensing board shall prominently print 134
the following on all license applications, any communication 135
denying a license, and on the board's website: "Pursuant to the 136
provisions of the Universal Recognition of Occupational Licenses 137
Act, Mississippi shall recognize occupational licenses obtained 138
from other states." An occupational licensing board shall prepare 139
and place on the board's website an annual report detailing the 140
number of applications submitted to the licensing board under this 141
section during a calendar year and the actions taken by the board 142
on the applications. 143
H. B. No. 487 *HR31/R6* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR31/R6
PAGE 7 (ELS\JAB)

(12) An occupational licensing board shall adopt rules 144
necessary to implement this section by January 1, 2022. In 145
addition, an occupational licensing board shall make all 146
reasonable efforts to issue a license to an applicant for a 147
license under this section. 148
(13) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit 149
an applicant for licensure from proceeding under the existing 150
licensure requirements established by an occupational licensing 151
board in Mississippi. 152
(14) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prevent 153
Mississippi from entering into a licensing compact or reciprocity 154
agreement with another state, foreign province or foreign country. 155
A license issued under this section is valid only in Mississippi. 156
It does not make the person eligible to work in another state 157
under an interstate compact or reciprocity agreement unless 158
otherwise provided in Mississippi law. 159
(15) Nothing in this section shall be construed to apply to: 160
(a) The practice of law as regulated under Section 161
73-3-1 et seq.; 162
(b) Criteria for an applicant to obtain a license that 163
is established under an interstate compact; 164
(c) The ability of an occupational licensing board to 165
require an applicant to submit fingerprints in order to access 166
state and federal criminal records information for noncriminal 167
justice purposes; 168
H. B. No. 487 *HR31/R6* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR31/R6
PAGE 8 (ELS\JAB)

(d) The practice of medicine by physicians as regulated 169
under Section 73-25-1 et seq.; 170
(e) The provisions of the Military Family Freedom Act, 171
Section 73-50-1; * * * 172
(f) An occupation regulated under Section 73-1-1 et 173
seq. to the extent there is a conflict with a law granting 174
licensure reciprocity under Section 73-1-1 et seq * * *; 175
(g) The practice of dentistry as regulated under 176
Section 73-9-1 et seq.; or 177
(h) The practice of optometry as regulated under 178
Section 73-19-1 et seq. 179
SECTION 2. Section 73-9-24, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 180
amended as follows: 181
73-9-24. (1) In addition to the method for obtaining a 182
license to practice dentistry or dental hygiene by way of 183
examination as provided by Section 73-9-23, the board, in its sole 184
discretion, may grant a license to a candidate who meets the 185
following criteria: 186
(a) Submit proof of graduation from a dental school or 187
school of dental hygiene accredited by the Commission on Dental 188
Accreditation of the American Dental Association (ADA), or its 189
successor commission; 190
(b) Be engaged in the active practice of dentistry or 191
dental hygiene or in full-time dental education or dental hygiene 192
education for the past five (5) years; 193
H. B. No. 487 *HR31/R6* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR31/R6
PAGE 9 (ELS\JAB)

(c) Currently hold a valid, unrestricted and unexpired 194
license in a state whose standards for licensure are determined by 195
the board as equivalent to Mississippi's standards, and which 196
state grants reciprocity or licensure by credentials to licensees 197
of the State of Mississippi; 198
(d) Provides an endorsement from all states in which he 199
or she is currently licensed or has ever been licensed to practice 200
dentistry or dental hygiene; 201
(e) Has not been the subject of pending or final 202
disciplinary action in any state in which the applicant has been 203
licensed; 204
(f) Is not the subject of a pending investigation in 205
any other state or jurisdiction; 206
(g) Has passed a state or regional clinical licensure 207
examination and, within the past five (5) years, has not failed a 208
clinical licensure examination administered by another state, 209
jurisdiction, or regional licensing board; 210
(h) Has not failed at any time, a licensure examination 211
administered by the Mississippi State Board of Dental Examiners; 212
(i) Provides a written statement agreeing to appear for 213
interviews at the request of the board; 214
(j) Has successfully completed all parts of the 215
National Board Examinations of the Joint Commission on National 216
Dental Examinations, or its successor commission, unless the 217
H. B. No. 487 *HR31/R6* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR31/R6
PAGE 10 (ELS\JAB)

applicant graduated from an accredited dental or dental hygiene 218
school before 1960; 219
(k) Successfully passes a written jurisprudence 220
examination; 221
(l) Provides payment of a nonrefundable application fee 222
as provided in Section 73-9-43; and 223
(m) In addition, the State Board of Dental Examiners 224
may consider the following in accepting, rejecting or denying an 225
application for licensure by credentialing: 226
(i) Information from the National Practitioner 227
Data Bank, the Healthcare Integrity and Protection Data Bank 228
and/or the American Association of Dental Examiners Clearinghouse 229
for Disciplinary Information. 230
(ii) Questioning under oath. 231
(iii) Results of peer review reports from 232
constituent societies and/or federal dental services. 233
(iv) Substance abuse testing or treatment. 234
(v) Background checks for criminal or fraudulent 235
activities. 236
(vi) Participation in continuing education. 237
(vii) A current certificate in cardiopulmonary 238
resuscitation. 239
(viii) Recent patient case reports and/or oral 240
defense of diagnosis and treatment plans. 241
H. B. No. 487 *HR31/R6* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR31/R6
PAGE 11 (ELS\JAB)

(ix) No physical or psychological impairment that 242
would adversely affect the ability to deliver quality dental care. 243
(x) Agreement to initiate practice in the 244
credentialing jurisdiction within a reasonable period of time. 245
(xi) Proof of professional liability coverage and 246
that the coverage has not been refused, declined, canceled, 247
nonrenewed or modified. 248
(xii) Any additional information or documentation 249
that the board may stipulate by rule or regulation as necessary to 250
qualify for a license by credentialing. 251
(2) The board shall be granted sufficient time to conduct a 252
complete inquiry into the applicant's qualifications for licensure 253
by credentials, and the board may adopt such rules and regulations 254
pertaining to the time needed to conduct investigations and the 255
responsibility of applicants to produce verifiable documentation. 256
(3) Any applicant failing to meet the criteria in subsection 257
(1) of this section shall not be eligible for a license based on 258
credentials. Upon meeting the criteria in subsection (1) of this 259
section, the Mississippi State Board of Dental Examiners may, in 260
its discretion, issue to the applicant a license to practice 261
dentistry, or dental hygiene, unless grounds for denial of 262
licensure exist as enumerated in Section 73-9-61. Evidence of 263
falsification in the application for licensure through 264
credentialing will result in revocation of the license. 265
H. B. No. 487 *HR31/R6* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR31/R6
PAGE 12 (ELS\JAB)

(4) Any applicant applying for a specialty license by 266
credentials must stay within his or her board recognized specialty 267
and must practice only that specialty within the State of 268
Mississippi. A specialty license holder must hold a general 269
dentistry license before obtaining a specialty license. 270
(5) The issuance of a license by reciprocity to a 271
military-trained applicant * * * or military spouse * * * shall be 272
subject to the provisions of Section 73-50-1 * * *. 273
SECTION 3. Section 73-19-25, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 274
amended as follows: 275
73-19-25. An applicant for a certificate of licensure who 276
has been examined by the state board of another state which, 277
through reciprocity, similarly accredits the holder of a 278
certificate issued by the board of this state to the full 279
privileges of practice within such state, on the payment of a fee 280
of not more than Fifty Dollars ($50.00) to the board and on filing 281
in the office of the board a true and attested copy of the 282
license, certified by the president or secretary of the state 283
board issuing the same, and showing also that the standard 284
requirements adopted and enforced by the board are equal to that 285
provided by this state, may, without further examination, receive 286
a certificate of licensure, provided that such applicant has not 287
previously failed at an examination held by the board of this 288
state. The issuance of a certificate of licensure by reciprocity 289
H. B. No. 487 *HR31/R6* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR31/R6
PAGE 13 (ELS\JAB)
ST: Universal Recognition of Occupational
License Act; exempt practices of dentistry and
optometry from.
to a military-trained applicant * * * or military spouse * * * 290
shall be subject to the provisions of Section 73-50-1 * * *. 291
SECTION 4. This act shall take effect and be in force from 292
and after July 1, 2026. 293