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H. B. No. 719 *HR26/R1290* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/HR26/R1290
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To: Public Health and Human
Services
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026
By: Representative McLean
HOUSE BILL NO. 719
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 41-42-5, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO 1
DIRECT THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO PROVIDE FOR A NURSE 2
PRACTITIONER TO BE PRESENT AT EACH COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT FOR AT 3
LEAST ONE DAY EACH WEEK IN ORDER TO PROVIDE PERSONS WITH 4
CONTRACEPTIVE SUPPLIES AND PRESCRIPTIONS FOR CONTRACEPTIVE 5
SUPPLIES AT NO COST TO THE RECIPIENT; TO AMEND SECTION 41-42-3, 6
MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CONFORM TO THE PRECEDING PROVISION; 7
TO AMEND SECTION 41-42-7, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO AUTHORIZE 8
NURSE PRACTITIONERS TO PROVIDE CONTRACEPTIVE SUPPLIES AND 9
INFORMATION TO CERTAIN MINORS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 10
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 11
SECTION 1. Section 41-42-5, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 12
amended as follows: 13
41-42-5. (1) The State Board of Health is authorized to 14
receive and disburse such funds as may become available to it for 15
family planning programs to any organization, public or private, 16
engaged in providing contraceptive procedures, supplies, and 17
information. Any family planning program administered by the 18
board may be developed in consultation and coordination with other 19
family planning agencies in this state. 20
(2) The board is * * * authorized to adopt and promulgate 21
rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this chapter. 22
H. B. No. 719 *HR26/R1290* ~ OFFICIAL ~
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(3) (a) The board may provide for the dissemination of 23
medically acceptable contraceptive information and supplies by 24
duly authorized persons in state and county health and * * * human 25
services departments and in medical facilities at institutions of 26
higher learning. 27
(b) The department shall provide for a nurse 28
practitioner to be present at each county health department for at 29
least one (1) day each week in order to provide persons with 30
contraceptive supplies and prescriptions for contraceptive 31
supplies at no cost to the recipient. 32
SECTION 2. Section 41-42-3, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 33
amended as follows: 34
41-42-3. For the purposes of this chapter and as used 35
herein: 36
(a) "Board" means the Mississippi State Board of 37
Health; 38
(b) "Department" means the State Department of Health. 39
(c) "Nurse practitioner" means a certified nurse 40
practitioner duly licensed to practice his or her profession in 41
Mississippi; 42
( * * *d) "Physician" means any doctor of medicine duly 43
licensed to practice his or her profession in Mississippi or the 44
state in which he or she resides and lawfully practicing his or 45
her profession; 46
H. B. No. 719 *HR26/R1290* ~ OFFICIAL ~
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ST: County health departments; require nurse
practitioner to be present weekly to provide
free contraceptive supplies.
( * * *e) "Contraceptive procedures" means any 47
medically accepted procedure designed to prevent conception; 48
( * * *f) "Contraceptive supplies" means those 49
medically approved items designed to prevent conception through 50
chemical, mechanical, or other means. 51
SECTION 3. Section 41-42-7, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 52
amended as follows: 53
41-42-7. Contraceptive supplies and information may be 54
furnished by physicians and nurse practitioners to any minor who 55
is a parent, or who is married, or who has the consent of his or 56
her parent or legal guardian, or who has been referred for such 57
service by another physician or nurse practitioner, a clergyman, a 58
family planning clinic, a school or institution of higher 59
learning, or any agency or instrumentality of this state or any 60
subdivision thereof. 61
SECTION 4. This act shall take effect and be in force from 62
and after July 1, 2026. 63