Senate Bill 2927

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 73-38-11, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REVISE THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE COUNCIL OF ADVISORS IN SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY AND AUDIOLOGY AND PRESCRIBE ITS RESPONSIBILITIES; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 73-38-11, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

73-38-11. (1) There is established the Mississippi Council of Advisors in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology under the jurisdiction of the Mississippi State Board of Health. The purpose of the council is to advise the State Board of Health on matters relating to the administration and interpretation of the provisions of this chapter.

(2) The council shall be comprised of seven (7) members. Two (2) council members shall be speech-language pathologists, two (2) council members shall be audiologists, and two (2) council members shall be a licensed member of the health professions and a member of the public, both with an interest in the consumption of speech-language pathology or audiology services, with the seventh council member being a licensed physician * * *. All council members who are speech-language pathologists or audiologists shall at all times be holders of active and valid licenses for the practice of speech-language pathology and audiology in this state and shall be holders of the ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology or Audiology or its equivalent.

(3) * * * No more than three (3) members of the council shall be appointed from any one (1) Supreme Court district as presently constituted. * * * Appointments made shall be for three-year terms, with no person being eligible to serve more than two (2) full consecutive terms. Terms shall begin on the first day of the calendar year and end on the last day of the calendar year.

(4) Not less than sixty (60) days before the end of each calendar year, nominations to the Council of Advisors in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology may be received by the Mississippi State Board of Health from the Mississippi Speech-Language-Hearing Association * * * for the positions represented by speech-language pathologists or audiologists, * * * from the Mississippi Medical Association for the position represented by a licensed physician, and * * * from licensed speech pathologists and audiologists for the positions represented by licensed members of the health professions. In the event of a vacancy, the board shall, within thirty (30) days after such vacancy, appoint a person from the previous list of names submitted who shall fill the unexpired term.

(5) The council shall elect annually from its membership a chairman and any other officers as necessary to carry out its duties. The council shall meet at least two (2) times each year. Further meetings may be convened at the call of the chairman or the written request of any two (2) council members. All meetings of the council shall be open to the public, except that the council may hold closed sessions to prepare, approve, grade or administer examinations, or upon request of an applicant who fails an examination, to prepare a response indicating any reason for his failure. * * *

(6) Four (4) members of the council shall constitute a quorum for all purposes, but in no instance shall a meeting of four (4) council members be considered a quorum if there is not at least one (1) speech-language pathologist and one (1) audiologist present.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2007.