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State architecture board to monitor engineering-practice bill, seeks stakeholder outreach
Summary
The Mississippi State Board of Architecture reviewed pending legislation — including HB 608/SB 2422 — heard a guest briefing from Louisiana, and directed staff to contact the AIA Mississippi Chapter and circulate draft letters on HS 669 for member review.
The Mississippi State Board of Architecture on Jan. 23 reviewed pending state legislation that could alter the definition of engineering and affect architectural practice and reciprocity rules.
John Cothron, executive director of the Mississippi State Board of Architecture, told members the bills to watch include HB 608/SB 2422, which would make extensive changes to the Engineers & Surveyors law and amend the definition of the practice of engineering to include the "engineering design of buildings." Tyson Ducote, executive director of the Louisiana State Board of Architectural Examiners, joined by teleconference and provided background on legislative challenges his board has faced in Louisiana.
The board directed Mr. Cothron to contact the American Institute of Architects Mississippi Chapter to set a meeting to discuss HB 608/SB 2422 and also instructed staff to circulate draft letters of support for HS 669 (an item described in the minutes as amending Miss. Code. Ann. §§ 73-1-19 and 73-2-5) to members for review. The board agreed to hold proposed rule adoptions pending the Legislature’s consideration of HS 669 and to await further NCARB guidance before altering reciprocity language in Miss. Code Ann. § 73-1-21.
Board members framed the steps as outreach and information-gathering rather than immediate rule changes. The board did not take formal legislative positions at the meeting beyond directing staff to begin stakeholder engagement and to circulate draft correspondence to members for consideration.
The board will next meet April 16, 2025, at Mississippi State University; staff follow-up on stakeholder outreach and the draft letters is expected before that date.
