House Bill 690

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 73-1-19, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REVISE THE MISSISSIPPI ARCHITECT LICENSING LAWS TO AUTHORIZE MULTI-DISCIPLINARY FIRMS TO INCLUDE ARCHITECTS, LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS AND/OR ENGINEERS AS LONG AS ONE ACTIVE MEMBER OR STOCKHOLDER HOLDS A CERTIFICATE TO PRACTICE ARCHITECTURE IN THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. Section 73-1-19, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

73-1-19. In the case of a copartnership of architects, or architects, landscape architects and/or engineers, or a professional corporation, or professional limited liability company, either foreign or domestic, each active member or stockholder, and each officer, director or manager, must hold a certificate to practice architecture, landscape architecture or engineering in that member's state of residence; and, in the case of a foreign corporation or professional limited liability company doing business in this state, at least one (1) active member or stockholder must hold a certificate to practice architecture in this state. No stock company, corporation, professional corporation or professional limited liability company shall be entitled to a certificate to practice architecture. No company other than a professional corporation or a professional limited liability company shall advertise or otherwise hold itself out to be an architect or to be authorized to practice architecture in this state.

Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as prohibiting a joint enterprise, partnership, professional corporation, professional limited liability company or association between one (1) or several registered professional engineers, registered landscape architects and/or duly registered architects; and it shall be lawful for such partnership, joint enterprise, professional corporation, professional limited liability company or association to use in its title the words * * * "architects", "landscape architects" or "engineers"; provided, however, that all announcements, cards, stationery, printed matter and listings of such partnership, joint enterprise, professional corporation, professional limited liability company or association shall indicate as to each member whether he be a registered architect, registered landscape architect or a registered engineer; provided, further, that the name of such partnership, professional corporation, professional limited liability company or association shall contain the name of at least one (1) person who is registered as an architect in this state and that no such person be named on any announcement, card, stationery, printed matter or listing of such partnership, professional corporation, professional limited liability company or association used in this state unless there is designated thereon whether or not such person is licensed in this state. Employees of a firm who are not registered as architects, landscape architects or engineers in the case of a joint enterprise, partnership, professional corporation, professional limited liability company or association between architects, landscape architects and/or engineers, may use business cards for that firm if the job title of such individual is clearly stated.

Each person holding a certificate to practice architecture in this state shall post such certificate in a prominent place in the architect's place of business. Failure to post the certificate shall be sufficient cause for revocation of such certificate.

The following persons and practices shall be exempted from the provisions of this chapter:

Draftsmen, students, clerks-of-work and other employees of those lawfully practicing as registered architects under the provisions of this chapter acting under the instruction, control or supervision of their employers.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2022.