License reinstatement; apply standards to physicians and dentists to reenter practice after certain offenses.

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To: Accountability,
Efficiency, Transparency
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Senator(s) Blount

SENATE BILL NO. 2279

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 99-19-35, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, 1
TO ALLOW A PHYSICIAN OR A DENTIST TO APPLY FOR A REINSTATEMENT OF 2
HIS OR HER LICENSE AFTER CONVICTION OF CERTAIN CRIMES; TO PROVIDE 3
THE CONDITIONS THAT MUST TO SATISFIED FOR AN APPLICANT TO BE 4
ELIGIBLE FOR LICENSE REINSTATEMENT; TO CREATE SECTION 99-19-36, TO 5
OUTLINE THE LICENSE REINSTATMENT PROCESS FOR PHYSICIANS AND 6
DENTISTS CONVICTED OF CERTAIN CRIMES AS OUTLINED IN SECTION 7
99-19-35; TO PROVIDE THAT THE MISSISSIPPI STATE BOARD OF MEDICAL 8
LICENSURE, OR THE MISSISSIPPI STATE BOARD OF DENTAL EXAMINERS, 9
RESPECTFULLY, SHALL BE TASKED WITH REVIEWING APPLICATIONS FOR 10
LICENSE REINSTATEMENT; TO PROVIDE GROUNDS FOR DENIAL OF A LICENSE 11
REINSTATEMENT REQUEST; TO PROVIDE THAT THE REVIEWING BOARDS SHALL 12
USE THEIR OWN DISCRETION TO CREATE AND ADOPT RULES AND REGULATIONS 13
NECESSARY TO IMPLEMENT, ADMINISTER AND ENFORCE THE PROVISIONS OF 14
THIS ACT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 15
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 16
SECTION 1. Section 99-19-35, Mississippi Code of 1972, 17
is amended as follows: 18
99-19-35. (1) A person convicted of bribery, burglary, 19
theft, arson, obtaining money or goods under false pretenses, 20
perjury, forgery, embezzlement, or bigamy, shall not be allowed to 21
practice medicine or dentistry, or be appointed to hold or perform 22
the duties of any office of profit, trust, or honor, unless * * * 23
the terms of his or her sentence are completed, and the individual 24
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has had his or her license reinstated by the Mississippi State 25
Board of Medical Licensure, or the Mississippi State Board of 26
Dental Examiners, respectively, following the processes outlined 27
in Section 99-19-36. 28
(2) For the purpose of this act, the term "sentence" means, 29
and is limited, to the term of incarceration plus complete 30
satisfaction of any term of probation, parole and/or complete 31
payment of restitution, fines or fees for a disqualifying 32
conviction as provided in subsection (1) of this section. 33
SECTION 2. The following shall be codified as Section 34
99-19-36, Mississippi Code of 1972: 35
99-19-36. (1) To apply for a Mississippi medical or dental 36
license reinstatement, a medical or dental professional who had 37
his or her license revoked due to being found guilty of crimes 38
outlined in Section 99-19-35, may apply to the Mississippi State 39
Board of Medical Licensure, or the Mississippi State Board of 40
Dental Examiners, respectively, for consideration of a license 41
reinstatement. After the respective licensing board reviews the 42
application for reinstatement, the board may, in its discretion, 43
grant the license reinstatement request, or issue a denial of 44
licensure reinstatement. 45
(2) The reviewing licensing board shall issue a denial, 46
unless, the board determines that: 47
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(a) At least five (5) years have passed from the date 48
of expiration of probation, parole or conviction, the date of 49
release from incarceration, whichever is later; 50
(b) The applicant has paid all restitution, fees and 51
fines associated with the violation; and 52
(c) The applicant has not been accused and found guilty 53
of any of the crimes outlined in Section 99-19-35 since the 54
original conviction which caused him or her to lose his or her 55
medical or dental license. 56
If the reviewing board finds that the applicant has satisfied 57
the requirements of paragraphs (a) and (c) of this subsection, and 58
that the applicant has been effectively rehabilitated, then the 59
board may, in its discretion, grant a reissuance of the requested 60
license. If the applicant possesses a background that could call 61
into question public trust, the board shall make a determination 62
as to whether or not the applicant has been properly rehabilitated 63
using the considerations outlined in this subsection (2), and 64
other relevant factors that the reviewing board deems necessary to 65
make a fair ruling. 66
(3) An applicant who appears before the board requesting 67
licensure and who is denied, will not be eligible for 68
reconsideration until six (6) months from the date the denial was 69
issued by the board. 70
(4) To assist the board in conducting its licensure 71
investigation, from and after July 1, 2026, all applicants for a 72
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Mississippi medical license or a Mississippi dental license, or 73
the reinstatement of a Mississippi medical license or a 74
Mississippi dental license, shall undergo a fingerprint-based 75
criminal history records check of the Mississippi central criminal 76
database and the Federal Bureau of Investigation criminal history 77
database. Each applicant shall submit a full set of the 78
applicant's fingerprints in a form and manner prescribed by the 79
board, which shall be forwarded to the Mississippi Department of 80
Public Safety (herein after referred to as the department) and the 81
Federal Bureau of Investigation Identification Division for this 82
purpose. 83
(5) If an applicant has been convicted of or pled guilty to 84
or nolo contendere to any of the crimes outlined in Section 85
99-19-35 or had any disciplinary sanctions imposed on him or her 86
by any local, state or federal occupational licensing body, the 87
applicant shall: 88
(a) Complete and submit a form prescribed by the board 89
containing information relevant to the conviction, plea or 90
disciplinary sanction; 91
(b) Submit certified copies of the court's disposition 92
or other documents acceptable to the board for each conviction, 93
plea of guilty or nolo contendere or a copy of the order or other 94
document which shows the disciplinary action taken by the local, 95
state or federal agency and the factual and legal basis for the 96
action, whichever is applicable; 97
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(c) Exercise due diligence to provide any missing 98
and/or necessary information that the board may need or request in 99
order to have a clear understanding of the charges against the 100
applicant and the court's disposition of the case against the 101
applicant; and 102
(d) Appear before the board for a hearing to determine 103
if the conviction, plea or disciplinary sanction constitutes 104
grounds for denial of a reissuance of his or her license, and if 105
so, whether or not the applicant may move forward with the 106
reinstatement licensing process. 107
(6) Any and all state or national criminal history records 108
information obtained by the licensing review board that is not 109
already a matter of public record shall be deemed nonpublic and 110
confidential information restricted to the exclusive use of the 111
licensing review board, its members, officers, investigators, 112
agents and attorneys in evaluating the applicant's eligibility or 113
disqualification for licensure, and shall be exempt from the 114
Mississippi Public Records Act of 1983. Except when introduced 115
into evidence in a hearing before the board to determine 116
reinstatement of an applicant's previously held license, no such 117
information or records related thereto shall, except with the 118
written consent of the applicant or by order of a court of 119
competent jurisdiction, be released or otherwise disclosed by the 120
board to any other person or agency. 121
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(7) The board shall provide to the department the 122
fingerprints of the applicant, any additional information that may 123
be required by the department, and a form signed by the applicant 124
consenting to the check of the criminal records and to the use of 125
the fingerprints and other identifying information required by the 126
state or national repositories. 127
(8) The board shall charge and collect from the applicant, 128
in addition to all other applicable fees and costs, such amount as 129
may be incurred by the board in requesting and obtaining state and 130
national criminal history records information on the applicant. 131
(9) The reviewing medical or dental licensing board shall 132
not reinstate an applicant's license if: 133
(a) The applicant has had his or her medical or dental 134
license revoked in any governmental jurisdiction within the 135
five-year period immediately preceding the date of the 136
application; or 137
(b) The applicant has been convicted of, or pled guilty 138
to or nolo contendere to, a disqualifying crime as outlined in 139
Section 99-19-35 during the five-year period immediately preceding 140
the date of the application for the reinstatement of his or her 141
medical or dental licensing. 142
(10) The reviewing licensing board shall adopt rules and 143
regulations necessary to implement, administer and enforce the 144
provisions of this section. 145
S. B. No. 2279 *SS36/R263* ~ OFFICIAL ~
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ST: License reinstatement; apply standards to
physicians and dentists to reenter practice
after certain offenses.
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from 146
and after July 1, 2026. 147