SB 2160: Move Function of Cosmetology and Barber Boards to Health Department
Written by Empower Mississippi Senate Bill 2160, sponsored by Sen. Kevin Blackwell, would dissolve the Boards of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners and move the operations to the Department of Health. The bill would also provide a pathway to licensure through apprenticeship programs. This bill comes after a scathing PEER report outlined deficiencies within both boards and…
HB 1113: Home-based business freedom
Written by Empower Mississippi House Bill 1113, sponsored by Rep. Jansen Owen, prohibits local governments from restricting home-based occupations. As Mississippi continues to grapple with a stagnant population, one of the brightest areas for potential is home-based businesses. We know that entrepreneurship began to climb at the beginning of the pandemic. But as technology has…
SB 2537: Expand cottage food operators sales cap
Written by Empower Mississippi Senate Bill 2537, sponsored by Sen. Melanie Sojourner, would raise the annual sales cap for cottage food operators from $35,000 to $50,000. Cottage food operators can sell certain allowable non-perishable foods they make in their own kitchen without government inspections while labeling the product as such. They face a number of limitations,…
HB 1150: Permit universities to authorize charter schools
Written by Empower Mississippi House Bill 1150, sponsored by Rep. Randy Boyd, would allow state universities and community colleges to authorize charter schools in Mississippi. Mississippi currently has one charter school authorizer. Since Mississippi’s charter school law passed in 2013, the pace of new schools opening has averaged approximately one per year statewide. Allowing universities or…
SB 2796: Full practice authority for nurse practitioners
Written by Empower Mississippi Senate Bill 2796, authored by Sen. Kevin Blackwell, would provide full practice authority to nurse practitioners in Mississippi. Unfortunately, the bill did not survive the legislature’s first major deadline on Tuesday, January 31. Currently, a nurse practitioner is required to enter into a collaborative agreement with a physician. This would exempt nurse…
SB 2066: Free shampooers to work
Written by Empower Mississippi Senate Bill 2066, sponsored by Sen. Angela Hill, would allow shampooers to work without obtaining a time-consuming and irrelevant cosmetology license. Under the proposed legislation, you would be able to shampoo hair after completing 40 hours of training; far less than what is currently required and more in line with neighboring states. …
HB 748: The Tim Tebow Act
Written by Empower Mississippi House Bill 748, sponsored by Rep. Chris Brown, would allow homeschool students to participate in public school extracurricular activities. Often dubbed the Tim Tebow Act after the Heisman quarterback who was homeschooled but able to play high school football for his local high school in Florida, similar legislation has been moving across…
HB 727/ HB 796: Full practice authority for nurse practitioners
Written by Empower Mississippi House Bill 727, authored by Rep. Donnie Scoggin and House Bill 796, authored by Rep. Stacey Hobgood-Wilkes, would provide full practice authority to nurse practitioners in Mississippi. Currently, a nurse practitioner is required to enter into a collaborative agreement with a physician. This would exempt nurse practitioners from that requirement after 6,240…
SB 2342: Ban the Box for public employees
Written by Empower Mississippi Senate Bill 2342, sponsored by Sen. John Horhn, would prohibit public employers from using an applicant’s criminal history as an initial barrier to employment. Birthed in 2004 through the work of All of Us or None, the Ban the Box campaign has been focused on allowing skills and qualifications to be the…
HB 868: Authorize mobile barbershops
Written by Empower Mississippi House Bill 868, sponsored by Rep. Tracey Rosebud, would authorize licensed barbers to operate mobile barbershops in the state. Barber regulations in Mississippi, among other things, prevent barbers from operating a mobile barbershop. Mobile barbershops are not a new idea. Over the past decade, entrepreneurial barbers have come up with an idea…