LAAC to research whether meeting attendance counts as CEU structured activity and to study exemption thresholds; NAICS disclaimer sent to Secretary of State

The Mississippi Landscape Architecture Advisory Committee on April 8, 2026, asked staff and legal counsel to research whether attendance at LAAC meetings should be considered a structured continuing-education activity under Rule 4.5.3 and to report findings at the next meeting. The committee accepted a continuing-education audit submittal from member Robert Mercier and voted unanimously to pursue a potential rule clarification.

Executive Director John Cothron told members that proposed disclaimer language concerning the use of certain North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes had been submitted to the Secretary of State's office with a request to post the disclaimers on the Secretary of State website; the office is considering the request. During a legislative update, members voted unanimously to send a letter to Rep. Creekmore thanking him for sponsoring House Bill 346; the meeting record does not include the bill text or further legislative detail.

Mr. Mercier raised a question about whether attendance at LAAC meetings should be counted as a structured activity under Rule 4.5.3. Chair Alan Hoops moved, and Mr. Milstead seconded, a motion to accept Mr. Mercier’s audit submittal and to research a potential rule change to clarify the matter; the motion passed unanimously. Members requested that Executive Director Cothron and legal counsel research exemption-threshold requirements for landscape-architecture practice in other jurisdictions and report their findings at the next meeting.

No rule changes were adopted at the April 8 meeting; the committee directed staff to return recommendations for formal consideration at a future meeting.