[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6361946,"mediaKeyId","2169174-b7d0e7565a6ac01bb3d6204c3909f452","parentId",2169174,"title","Votes at a glance: committee advances technical bills and referrals, adopts amendments","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",4537000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2169174-b7d0e7565a6ac01bb3d6204c3909f452&start=4537&end=4537","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2169174-b7d0e7565a6ac01bb3d6204c3909f452/thumbnail_4537000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6361946/Mississippi/Votes-at-a-glance-committee-advances-technical-bills-and-referrals-adopts-amendments","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6361946-d23edf4955d7e19b7bf607ee5fc5f522/orig.mp4?Expires=1771195113&Signature=M~JNMI-IUirqCh7f4IaqA5ml1UprM7o6a8POxywOy5xeM4KtisSu76JZkSNYn1gUOcRUeCN0JdrzrYNQthbJQe6FBmg5teIuKwEOeOsmBVDDladDqi1ulPo6Gx3ntl6qgK~la83nijsEBNAhX1bqA00epaXdSxGgWA6CIy7~HwtFWZNvd4NGJdse5VrZW5RIAgTYsKuCPwVvwyDpzM43BaANIKlHAZ-Ig9VwbpOHZqb6VNkt25y1xLxEpmP60~fwFpgf9mr8fVRod3D9XtqVr1P3yRo0arlN0ApoiFcWt4BthWWSunuwe8DilW237rZIuK74IUEcNZkzEFq23CeuAg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Mississippi Legislature","date","2025-01-29T00:00:00Z","article","The Mississippi Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee approved multiple items by voice vote during the session, including technical corrections, repealer extensions and an amendment on a public‑health funding bill. Most measures were advanced on motions titled \"sufficient to pass\" and carried by voice vote.

Key actions at a glance:

- Senate Bill 2679: Described by the sponsor as a technical-correction bill aligning state reporting rules with federal practice for beneficiary income changes; passed on a motion \"sufficient to pass\" (committee voice vote). (Intro block at transcript 00:00:31; final voice vote at 00:01:46.)

- Senate Bill 2695 (Mississippi Professional Massage Therapy Act repealer): Motioned and passed with no substantive change to existing law aside from a repealer extension; approved by voice vote. (Intro 00:01:54; final voice vote 00:02:51.)

- Senate Bill 2698 (repealer/extension): Introduced and advanced on a motion to pass; committee voice vote carried. (Intro 00:02:52; final voice vote 00:03:40.)

- Senate Bill 2743: Bill authorizing use of special funds collected from birth certificates for maternal, infant and child health programs and completion of vital records; committee adopted a small technical amendment deleting wording \"such as those\" and then passed the committee substitute. (Intro 00:24:36; amendment and vote 00:25:40–00:26:01.)

- Senate Bill 2704 (Parchman infirmary inspections): Sponsor asked for the bill to be considered and the committee voted to report the bill to the Corrections Committee for further action (referral). (Intro 00:58:51; referral recorded 00:59:44.)

- Senate Bill 2075 (Board of Medical Licensure amendments): Committee adopted a brief amendment (clean-up language around prohibited conduct) and then advanced the amended bill. (Intro 00:39:54; amendment and final vote 01:07:44.)

All items above were processed by voice vote and the chair announced \"the ayes have it\" for each action. Where specific roll-call tallies were not recorded in the transcript, the committee relied on voice votes and the chair's announcement to indicate passage or referral.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Public Health and Welfare - Room 216, 29 January, 2025; 3:15 PM","oneSentenceSummary","The Public Health and Welfare Committee approved a series of largely technical or administrative bills by voice vote, adopted an amendment on a funding bill and referred an inspection bill to the Corrections Committee.","taxTitle","Public Health and Welfare, Senate, Committees, Legislative, Mississippi","taxId",29316,"location","Mississippi","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_46":81,"_48":82,"_50":83,"_52":84,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":85,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":86,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6361951,"Committee advances community health worker bill but members seek clearer scope limits",993,1572000,2565000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2169174-b7d0e7565a6ac01bb3d6204c3909f452&start=1572&end=2565","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2169174-b7d0e7565a6ac01bb3d6204c3909f452/thumbnail_1572000.jpg","/articles/6361951/Mississippi/Committee-advances-community-health-worker-bill-but-members-seek-clearer-scope-limits","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6361951-cca99a160491647e99bbf10b89f262be/orig.mp4?Expires=1771195113&Signature=gKia0uf3D-NbbYSF8RUChZ0WJYlzcuWL3MCMnHhl~PklOpbdlgFki8uVS6FjMADj1JwWD1dtBL28ER1gczMsDy49xuYp05zd17kWEXUfHRLV1eLnb358J-WOWk1FidDgb0zaQdWao5z4U0ZzDTITWrCVD-sxS-au6g93xTWVWraaMTm1RivXPLgD5orKKYFoKvCjZn178rFqPRpYgSu8Y1tDg1gu6MWbsgYuyaio4DojdTulZkQGjj9z5Uxk6wynHJNSc2RbpM937uxGqldzmx1ikL0cTqjZHHVRCROY-QM6JQfpOBi3O378Nq1KpwMn08Yy4MjjHWFanl5CDbyo7Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Public Health and Welfare Committee advanced Senate Bill 2749, a measure to establish licensure and a Medicaid reimbursement pathway for community health workers, after members debated the bill's scope-of-practice language and approved a technical amendment deleting a preamble.

Sponsor Senator Boyd told the committee the bill would allow the Division of Medicaid to seek a waiver for reimbursement of community health worker services for Medicaid enrollees and that the role is intended initially to support maternal and infant health. \"It's a relatively low cost intervention that has a lot of upside,\" she said, describing community health workers as laypeople trained to help patients take medications, keep appointments and improve diet and exercise.

Committee members repeatedly expressed concern about leaving scope-setting authority broad. Senator Barker asked where the Department of Health's scope-setting power was authorized in statute; sponsor and supporters said the language intentionally allowed some flexibility but that the department and its board would impose narrow guardrails and that legislators could later refine statutory limits. Doctor Edney (Department of Health) was cited by sponsors as part of the development process.

Senator Hobson moved and the committee agreed to delete the preamble. After discussion, including questions about where community health workers might be employed and whether managed-care contracts would be the initial market, the committee approved the bill as a committee substitute by voice vote and the chair announced the ayes have it.

Committee members requested that sponsors and Department of Health staff work with concerned senators to produce more precise scope language before floor consideration.","Senate Bill 2749 to license community health workers and direct Medicaid to seek a waiver to reimburse certain services passed committee after debate over how broadly the Department of Health may set scope of practice and removal of a preamble.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_46":93,"_48":94,"_50":95,"_52":96,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":97,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":98,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6361954,"Committee advances genetic counselor licensing bill to allow state oversight and potential insurance billing",1255,220000,1475000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2169174-b7d0e7565a6ac01bb3d6204c3909f452&start=220&end=1475","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2169174-b7d0e7565a6ac01bb3d6204c3909f452/thumbnail_220000.jpg","/articles/6361954/Mississippi/Committee-advances-genetic-counselor-licensing-bill-to-allow-state-oversight-and-potential-insurance-billing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6361954-f8b175a27df5ab45ff2d0b81fe80e224/orig.mp4?Expires=1771195113&Signature=oojDcieOdYADpKNd58ZKUl6Lvd5bjM7fNFUdbwaFS7EVmmPlYycZRGGJJQ7ZjXIZK4HOgSP1-xjd6miMJLSwROeUtdDAU1H6SfE7a8cGGL6jlz79TKRZCwjA6uVYpZwlaAsuCuZHpeWj~qXuo03~CC95saDUQyXGmtR16wsHT90mXaR4q45rQPBiKEExqbJm88BwZiSzjhYpUf70EQ9I4ayj0irrgySS~LuoN5ZO8dYe7oZGtWkRx2jlMIEkH644-J8W~WjYjFACSJHWcY5n34foUDuoGKr1YaFDvqeLgZrsc-pATDdL4JCGunzeC8FWAb9EEH5CViCy0xCVnJU2IA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Public Health and Welfare Committee voted to advance Senate Bill 2705, a proposal to license genetic counselors in Mississippi and place licensure authority with the Mississippi State Department of Health.

Sponsor presentation said the bill is largely a licensing measure requested by the University of Mississippi Medical Center and other stakeholders to standardize practice, set educational requirements and create a pathway for insurance reimbursement. \"They take a board exam, a national board exam. There's just there's not a licensure pathway in Mississippi currently,\" a UMMC staff member said, explaining that counselors currently practice as salaried employees and cannot bill insurance.

Committee members asked whether licensing would create a new independent occupational board (it would not) and whether counselors could operate independent practices. The committee was told licensure would be issued by the State Board of Health and that the proposal requires a master's degree for the credential. Senator Turner Ford asked whether counselors could operate a standalone practice; presenters stated such practice is currently limited and licensure would clarify who may call themselves a genetic counselor.

Senator Hill questioned whether state licensure was necessary when national certification and employment-based supervision already exist; a presenter replied the change could affect reimbursement, allowing counselors to bill insurers and thus improve recruitment and retention.

Members also asked whether the bill would prohibit people without master's degrees from providing counseling under supervision by a physician; proponents said existing licensed professionals (physicians, nurse practitioners) would remain able to discuss genetic issues as part of their scope of practice, but the title \"genetic counselor\" and an independent counseling practice would require licensure.

After questions and a request for letters from counselors practicing outside Jackson, the committee voted on a motion titled \"sufficient to pass.\" Committee members voiced the ayes and the chair declared the ayes have it.","Senate Bill 2705, which would license genetic counselors through the State Department of Health, passed the Public Health and Welfare Committee after questions about scope, education requirements and insurance reimbursement.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_46":105,"_48":106,"_50":107,"_52":108,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":109,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":110,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6361959,"Committee tables bill to license anesthesiology assistants after extended debate",1326,2553000,3879000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2169174-b7d0e7565a6ac01bb3d6204c3909f452&start=2553&end=3879","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2169174-b7d0e7565a6ac01bb3d6204c3909f452/thumbnail_2553000.jpg","/articles/6361959/Mississippi/Committee-tables-bill-to-license-anesthesiology-assistants-after-extended-debate","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6361959-9f0c00b154945f722fca1c58ec3d4bc1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771195113&Signature=ZYnz7nZg1kHMH2X9uLIdfU0HUEI4fUi28ut1fg5jzQuiOe2SwacWmOnAO0o6YybiG20sbd28cteHVw~gXZR1ut4KNmD~63aVSE-Rix7WbXeWGhgjbA4HDQYLrA-yjPJwJHqcQk~-EsqICQuKyZhQLC3uq3Ab-O0srXRA9hpFd~mWSKzp0jFNFuZOBCQesOeWKVm2cuP~4hs0hzMe8GMkxhjIf6QpGajl7cupK46I9EQOzY2W5V91MMlwwb6DqY8DvKQIu1JuvLv7r2pQF01ih8qmEgk3igkNEK-xIW276a9xYsW5aACOaNbn12JONuPy7jGsRd28BnfTfZmjwk0~eA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Mississippi Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee tabled Senate Bill 2669, a proposal to license anesthesiology assistants, after extended testimony and questions from committee members.

Supporters, including anesthesiologist Tyler Stowell, told the committee the proposal would create a new mid-level anesthesia provider pathway and help address shortages of anesthesia personnel in Mississippi hospitals. \"We have a shortage of mid level anesthesia providers in this state,\" Stowell said, describing a 24–28 month graduate program and clinical training model that would place assistants in a medical-direction team with anesthesiologists.

Stan Baldwin, dean of the School of Science and Mathematics at Mississippi College, said Mississippi College has considered developing a training program and that graduates now sometimes must leave the state to practice. He described parallels between the proposed anesthesiology assistant (AA) program and physician assistant programs the college already operates.

Committee members pressed for data and raised safety and scope concerns. Senator Parker asked for comparative malpractice and safety data and said she wanted more time to solicit opposition and supporting testimony. Senator Hickman asked how many jurisdictions license AAs; the presenters said AAs are licensed in about 20 jurisdictions, including Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, Florida and South Carolina and in the Veterans Administration system.

Presenters said AAs would practice under medical direction — with an anesthesiologist supervising multiple rooms — and that published studies and payers treat AAs comparably to other mid-level anesthesia providers. Stowell said AAs undergo substantial clinical training (about 2,000 clinical hours) and that the care-team model is used safely in other states.

Opponents (statements filed or expected) were invited to speak; the committee agreed to allow additional parties to present opposing views and for members to obtain more information before final consideration.

After discussion, the committee approved a motion to table the bill subject to call, allowing time for CRNA representatives, other providers and additional data to be presented at a later meeting.","The Public Health and Welfare Committee heard extensive testimony on Senate Bill 2669 to create a license for anesthesiology assistants but voted to table the measure subject to call to allow further input from stakeholders.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: committee advances technical bills and referrals, adopts amendments

Committee advances community health worker bill but members seek clearer scope limits

Committee advances genetic counselor licensing bill to allow state oversight and potential insurance billing

Committee tables bill to license anesthesiology assistants after extended debate