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SB2549 • 2026

Radiologist assistants; revise licensure qualifications for and authorize preliminary interpretation report with initial observations.

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 41-58-7, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REVISE LICENSURE QUALIFICATIONS FOR RADIOLOGIST ASSISTANTS; TO AUTHORIZE A RADIOLOGIST ASSISTANT TO NOTIFY HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS TREATING THE PATIENT THAT THE ORDERED IMAGING PROCEDURES HAVE BEEN COMPLETED; TO PROVIDE THAT A RADIOLOGIST ASSISTANT MAY ONLY COMMUNICATE HIS OR HER INITIAL OBSERVATIONS TO THE RADIOLOGIST; TO AUTHORIZE A RADIOLOGIST ASSISTANT TO COMMUNICATE THE RADIOLOGIST'S FINAL OR PRELIMINARY INTERPRETATION TO OTHER HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

Healthcare
Did Not Pass

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

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

Plain English Breakdown

The bill did not pass and therefore its provisions would not have taken effect.

Radiologist Assistants: New Licensure Rules

This bill changes the requirements for becoming a licensed radiologist assistant and allows them to notify healthcare providers when imaging tests are completed.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the qualifications needed to become a licensed radiologist assistant in Mississippi, including graduation from an accredited program and passing relevant exams.
  • Allows radiologist assistants to inform healthcare providers that ordered imaging procedures have been completed.
  • Requires radiologist assistants to share their initial observations only with the supervising radiologist.
  • Permits radiologist assistants to communicate the final or preliminary interpretation of images by a radiologist to other healthcare providers.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Radiologist assistants in Mississippi
  • Healthcare providers who order imaging tests

Terms To Know

radiologist assistant
A medical professional who helps radiologists with patient care and image interpretation.
scope of practice
The specific tasks a healthcare provider is allowed to do based on their training and licensing.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This bill did not pass in the session it was introduced.
  • It would have taken effect from July 1, 2026, if passed.

Bill History

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

    03/03 (H) Died In Committee

  2. 2026-02-13 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    02/13 (H) Referred To Public Health and Human Services;Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency

  3. 2026-02-06 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    02/06 (S) Transmitted To House

  4. 2026-02-05 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    02/05 (S) Immediate Release

  5. 2026-02-05 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    02/05 (S) Passed As Amended

  6. 2026-02-05 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    02/05 (S) Amended

  7. 2026-01-28 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    01/28 (S) Title Suff Do Pass

  8. 2026-01-19 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    01/19 (S) Referred To Public Health and Welfare

Official Summary Text

Radiologist assistants; revise licensure qualifications for and authorize preliminary interpretation report with initial observations.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
S. B. No. 2549 *SS08/R930PS* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G3/5
26/SS08/R930PS
PAGE 1

To: Public Health and
Welfare
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Senator(s) Blackwell

SENATE BILL NO. 2549
(As Passed the Senate)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 41-58-7, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO 1
REVISE LICENSURE QUALIFICATIONS FOR RADIOLOGIST ASSISTANTS; TO 2
AUTHORIZE A RADIOLOGIST ASSISTANT TO NOTIFY HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS 3
TREATING THE PATIENT THAT THE ORDERED IMAGING PROCEDURES HAVE BEEN 4
COMPLETED; TO PROVIDE THAT A RADIOLOGIST ASSISTANT MAY ONLY 5
COMMUNICATE HIS OR HER INITIAL OBSERVATIONS TO THE RADIOLOGIST; TO 6
AUTHORIZE A RADIOLOGIST ASSISTANT TO COMMUNICATE THE RADIOLOGIST'S 7
FINAL OR PRELIMINARY INTERPRETATION TO OTHER HEALTH CARE 8
PROVIDERS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 9
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 10
SECTION 1. Section 41-58-7, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 11
amended as follows: 12
41-58-7. (1) The State Board of Medical Licensure shall 13
license and regulate the practice of radiologist assistants in 14
accordance with the provisions of this section. 15
(2) A radiologist may use the services of a radiologist 16
assistant to practice radiology assistance under the supervision 17
of the radiologist, provided that the radiologist assistant is 18
duly qualified and licensed as provided in this section. 19
(3) The board shall promulgate and publish reasonable rules 20
and regulations necessary to enable it to discharge its functions 21
S. B. No. 2549 *SS08/R930PS* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS08/R930PS
PAGE 2

and enforce the provisions of law regulating the practice of 22
radiologist assistants. Those rules and regulations shall 23
include, but are not limited to: qualifications for licensure for 24
radiologist assistants, including, but not limited to, graduation 25
from a radiologist assistant education program accredited by the 26
American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) or a 27
radiology practitioner assistant school with a radiologist 28
assistant certification from ARRT, passage of the radiologist 29
assistant examination provided by ARRT, and current and 30
unencumbered registration as a radiologic technologist with the 31
Mississippi State Department of Health; scope of practice of 32
radiologist assistants; supervision of radiologist assistants; 33
identification of radiologist assistants; grounds for disciplinary 34
actions and discipline of radiologist assistants; and setting and 35
charging reasonable fees for licensure and license renewals for 36
radiologist assistants. 37
(4) Those rules and regulations adopted by the board 38
pertaining to the scope of practice and the educational 39
qualifications necessary to practice as a radiologist assistant 40
shall be consistent with guidelines adopted by the American 41
College of Radiology, the American Society of Radiologic 42
Technologists, and the American Registry of Radiologic 43
Technologists. 44
(5) Applicants for licensure as a radiologist assistant must 45
be: (a) credentialed to provide radiology services under the 46
S. B. No. 2549 *SS08/R930PS* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS08/R930PS
PAGE 3
ST: Radiologist assistants; revise licensure
qualifications for and authorize preliminary
interpretation report with initial observations.
supervision of a radiologist; (b) a radiologic technologist 47
registered under Sections 41-58-1 through 41-58-5; and (c) 48
certified and registered with the American Registry of Radiologic 49
Technologists. 50
(6) A radiologist assistant may not interpret images, make 51
diagnoses or prescribe medications or therapies. A radiologist 52
assistant may notify health care providers treating the patient 53
that the ordered imaging procedures have been completed. A 54
radiologist assistant may only communicate his or her initial 55
observations to the radiologist. A radiologist assistant may 56
communicate the radiologist's final or preliminary interpretation 57
to other health care providers. 58
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 59
and after July 1, 2026. 60