Bill > HB867

This bill amends Mississippi state law to require county health departments to have a nurse practitioner present at least one day per week to provide free contraceptive supplies and prescriptions. The legislation updates several sections of the state health code, including adding definitions for "department" and "nurse practitioner" and expanding the authorization for nurse practitioners to provide contraceptive supplies and information. Specifically, the bill requires the State Department of Health to ensure that each county health department has a nurse practitioner available weekly to offer contraceptive services at no cost to recipients. The bill also updates language to be more gender-inclusive, changing references from "his" to "his or her" throughout the text. Additionally, the bill clarifies that nurse practitioners, in addition to physicians, can provide contraceptive supplies to minors under certain circumstances, such as when the minor is a parent, married, has parental consent, or has been referred by certain authorized entities. The legislation is set to take effect on July 1, 2025, and aims to improve access to contraceptive services across Mississippi's county health departments.

Health and Social Services

https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2025/pdf/history/HB/HB0867.xml