Senate concurs on psychologist board change, creates public health trust fund and confirms appointments

The Mississippi Senate during a floor session moved to concur with a House amendment to the bill concerning the Board of Licensure for Psychologists, approved creation of a public health trust fund and confirmed several gubernatorial appointments, senators said.

The House amendment to the psychologists bill increases the board’s membership from seven to nine, the senator who spoke to the measure said. "The house amendment is very similar to what the senate passed," said Senator Brian, who moved that the Senate concur and asked for the use of the morning roll call. The motion to concur was approved.

Why it matters: changing the board's statutory membership alters the composition of the state regulatory body that reviews licensure and discipline for psychologists. Separately, the session established a public health trust fund that currently contains no money but could accept funds from nongovernmental sources, lawmakers said.

Senator Brian told colleagues about the public health trust fund measure: "Please do not be confused by the short title. All this bill does is establish a public health trust fund. It has no money in the fund." The senator said the House removed a reverse repealer; the Senate concurred by use of the morning roll call.

The floor also handled a number of procedural calendar motions. The Senate voted "not to concur" and to invite conference on multiple House-Senate differences for specified items; those motions were approved by voice vote. The body passed and retained a large block of items placed on the calendar and moved several bills to the general calendar for later consideration.

Appointments: The Senate granted advice and consent to multiple nominees. The Senate approved a reappointment to the Gulf States Marine Commission (nominee identified in the record as Doctor Hennon), a reappointment for a representative of shrimp processors to the Mississippi Advisory Commission for Marine Resources (nominee identified as Mr. McClendon), and a gubernatorial reappointment to the Mississippi Lottery Corporation board (Doctor Pennington). Advising-and-consent motions were passed, in some cases by morning roll call; the record shows those confirmations were approved.

Votes at a glance - Item 10: Concur with House amendment to the repealer for the Board of Licensure for Psychologists (house amendment increases board membership from 7 to 9). Motion to concur approved by use of the morning roll call. (Moved and spoken to by Senator Brian.) - Item 13: Motion not to concur and to invite conference — motion approved by voice vote. - Item 16: Concur with House amendment to establish a public health trust fund (trust fund established with no funds; house removed reverse repealer). Motion approved by morning roll call. (Spoken to by Senator Brian.) - Item 17: Motion not to concur and invite conference — approved by voice vote. - Item 19: Motion not to concur and invite conference — approved by voice vote. - Items 20–193: Passed and retained on the calendar (block action). - Nominees confirmed by advice and consent: Doctor Hennon (Gulf States Marine Commission reappointment); Mr. McClendon (Mississippi Advisory Commission for Marine Resources reappointment representing shrimp processors); Doctor Pennington (reappointment to the Mississippi Lottery Corporation board). Specific roll-call tallies were not provided in the transcript for each confirmation; several confirmations were approved by use of the morning roll call or by voice vote as noted on the floor record.

The session included introductions of guests and brief announcements. The Senate stood in recess until 12 p.m. and adjourned until 4 p.m. Monday, according to the floor record.

The article summarizes floor actions recorded on the Senate calendar during the session; it reports the motions and outcomes as stated in the meeting transcript and does not infer outside legal or administrative effects beyond the text on the record.