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SB2192 • 2026

State Board of Health Professions; create and set out membership/board qualifications, powers and duties.

AN ACT TO CREATE NEW SECTION 73-44-1, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO STATE LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS; TO CREATE NEW SECTION 73-44-3, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CREATE THE STATE BOARD OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS AND TO SET FORTH THE MEMBERSHIP COMPOSITION, APPOINTMENT PROCESS, QUALIFICATIONS AND TERMS FOR THE BOARD; TO CREATE NEW SECTION 73-44-5, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT THE CHAIRMAN OF THE STATE BOARD OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS SHALL BE ELECTED BY ITS BOARD MEMBERS, THAT THE BOARD SHALL MEET AT LEAST QUARTERLY, THAT A MAJORITY OF THE BOARD SHALL CONSTITUTE A QUORUM FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONDUCTING BUSINESS AND THAT MEMBERS OF THE BOARD SHALL BE ENTITLED TO ACTUAL TRAVEL EXPENSES AND PER DIEM AS PROVIDED IN SECTIONS 5-3-41 AND 25-3-69; TO CREATE NEW SECTION 73-44-7, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO SET FORTH POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE STATE BOARD OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS; TO CREATE NEW SECTION 73-44-9, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SHALL REQUEST AN ANNUAL BUDGET AND PROVIDE A MEETING SPACE AND ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT FOR THE STATE BOARD OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

Did Not Pass

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

Sponsor
Blackwell
Last action
2026-02-03
Official status
Dead
Effective date
July 1, 20

Plain English Breakdown

The bill did not pass and was not signed into law, so its exact impact is unknown.

Create State Board of Health Professions

This bill proposes to create a new State Board of Health Professions with specific membership composition and duties.

What This Bill Does

  • Creates the State Board of Health Professions with members from various health regulatory boards and public officials.
  • Sets rules for how board members are chosen, their qualifications, and term lengths.
  • Establishes that the board will meet at least four times a year and outlines its responsibilities.
  • Gives the board power to evaluate health professions and recommend regulation changes.
  • Requires the State Department of Health to provide funding and support for the board.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Health professionals regulated by existing boards in Mississippi
  • The public who may benefit from better coordination between health regulatory boards

Terms To Know

quorum
the minimum number of members required to conduct official business, which for this board is a majority.
per diem
a daily allowance given to board members for expenses when they attend meetings.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill did not pass and was not signed into law.
  • It is unclear how the new board would interact with existing health regulatory boards.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-03 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    02/03 (S) Died In Committee

  2. 2026-01-13 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    01/13 (S) Referred To Public Health and Welfare

Official Summary Text

State Board of Health Professions; create and set out membership/board qualifications, powers and duties.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
S. B. No. 2192 *SS36/R161* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/SS36/R161
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To: Public Health and
Welfare
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Senator(s) Blackwell

SENATE BILL NO. 2192

AN ACT TO CREATE NEW SECTION 73-44-1, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1
1972, TO STATE LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS; TO CREATE NEW SECTION 2
73-44-3, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CREATE THE STATE BOARD OF 3
HEALTH PROFESSIONS AND TO SET FORTH THE MEMBERSHIP COMPOSITION, 4
APPOINTMENT PROCESS, QUALIFICATIONS AND TERMS FOR THE BOARD; TO 5
CREATE NEW SECTION 73-44-5, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE 6
THAT THE CHAIRMAN OF THE STATE BOARD OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS SHALL 7
BE ELECTED BY ITS BOARD MEMBERS, THAT THE BOARD SHALL MEET AT 8
LEAST QUARTERLY, THAT A MAJORITY OF THE BOARD SHALL CONSTITUTE A 9
QUORUM FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONDUCTING BUSINESS AND THAT MEMBERS OF 10
THE BOARD SHALL BE ENTITLED TO ACTUAL TRAVEL EXPENSES AND PER DIEM 11
AS PROVIDED IN SECTIONS 5-3-41 AND 25-3-69; TO CREATE NEW SECTION 12
73-44-7, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO SET FORTH POWERS AND DUTIES 13
OF THE STATE BOARD OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS; TO CREATE NEW SECTION 14
73-44-9, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT THE STATE 15
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SHALL REQUEST AN ANNUAL BUDGET AND PROVIDE A 16
MEETING SPACE AND ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT FOR THE STATE BOARD OF 17
HEALTH PROFESSIONS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 18
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 19
SECTION 1. The following shall be codified as Section 20
73-44-1, Mississippi Code of 1972: 21
73-44-1. The Legislature finds that: 22
(a) There is a growing complexity in health professions 23
that can lead to an overlap in the purview of existing licensed 24
professions. 25
S. B. No. 2192 *SS36/R161* ~ OFFICIAL ~
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(b) The Legislature is often called upon to make 26
decisions about issues related to the scope of professional 27
practice for multiple regulated health professions. 28
(c) A source of sound policy guidance will provide the 29
Legislature with meaningful assistance in addressing these issues. 30
SECTION 2. The following shall be codified as Section 31
73-44-3, Mississippi Code of 1972: 32
73-44-3. (1) For purposes of this chapter, unless the 33
context clearly requires otherwise, "board" shall mean the State 34
Board of Health Professions, which is hereby created. The board 35
shall consist of one (1) member from each of the following: 36
(a) The State Board of Medical Licensure; 37
(b) The State Board of Pharmacy; 38
(c) The Board of Nursing; 39
(d) The Board of Chiropractors; 40
(e) The Board of Dental Examiners; and 41
(f) The Board of Optometry. 42
(2) All members described in subsection (1) of this section 43
shall be appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of 44
the Senate. Terms shall be for four (4) years and until a 45
successor appointee is duly qualified. Terms shall commence on 46
July 1 and end on June 30. 47
(3) In addition to the members set out in subsection (1) of 48
this section, there shall be five (5) members to be appointed by 49
the Governor from the state at large with the advice and consent 50
S. B. No. 2192 *SS36/R161* ~ OFFICIAL ~
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of the Senate. The term of office for appointees provided for in 51
this subsection shall be for four (4) years and until their 52
successor is duly qualified. Terms of office shall begin on July 53
1 and end on June 30. These members shall not hold a license to 54
practice any of the professions regulated by the boards set out in 55
subsection (1) of this section. 56
(4) In addition to the members set out in subsections (1) 57
and (3) of this section, two (2) members shall be the Chairmen of 58
the House Public Health and Human Services Committee and the 59
Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee. 60
(5) No member of the board who represents a health 61
regulatory board shall serve as such until after he or she ceases 62
to be a member of a health regulatory board. 63
SECTION 3. The following shall be codified as Section 64
73-44-5, Mississippi Code of 1972: 65
73-44-5. The chairman of the board shall be elected by the 66
board from its members. The board shall meet at least quarterly 67
and may hold additional meetings as necessary to perform its 68
duties. A majority of the board shall constitute a quorum for the 69
purpose of conducting business. Members of the board shall be 70
entitled to actual travel expenses and per diem as provided in 71
Sections 5-3-41 and 25-3-69. 72
SECTION 4. The following shall be codified as Section 73
73-44-7, Mississippi Code of 1972: 74
S. B. No. 2192 *SS36/R161* ~ OFFICIAL ~
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73-44-7. The board shall have the following powers and 75
duties: 76
(a) To evaluate the need for coordination among the 77
health regulatory boards and their staffs, and to report its 78
findings and recommendations to the boards; 79
(b) To evaluate all health care professions and 80
occupations in the state, including those regulated and those not 81
regulated by other provisions of this title, and to consider 82
whether each such profession or occupation should be regulated and 83
the degree of regulation to be imposed. Whenever the board 84
determines that the public interest requires that a health care 85
profession or occupation which is not regulated by law should be 86
regulated, the board shall recommend to the Legislature a 87
regulatory system to establish the appropriate degree of 88
regulation; 89
(c) To serve as a forum for resolving conflicts among 90
the health regulatory boards; 91
(d) To advise the Governor and the Legislature on 92
matters relating to the regulation or deregulation of health care 93
professions and occupations; 94
(e) To make bylaws that govern the board and enable the 95
proper fulfillment of its duties under this chapter; 96
(f) To promote the development of standards to evaluate 97
the competency of the professions and occupations represented on 98
the board; 99
S. B. No. 2192 *SS36/R161* ~ OFFICIAL ~
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ST: State Board of Health Professions; create
and set out membership/board qualifications,
powers and duties.
(g) To periodically review the investigatory, 100
disciplinary and enforcement processes of the individual boards to 101
ensure the protection of the public and the fair and equitable 102
treatment of health professionals; and 103
(h) To examine scope of practice conflicts involving 104
regulated and unregulated professions, and to advise the health 105
regulatory boards and the Legislature of the nature and degree of 106
such conflicts. 107
SECTION 5. The following shall be codified as Section 108
73-44-9, Mississippi Code of 1972: 109
73-44-9. The Department of Health shall annually request a 110
budget for the board and shall provide a meeting space and 111
administrative support for the board's operations. 112
SECTION 6. This act shall take effect and be in force from 113
and after July 1, 2026. 114