Mississippi Bill Regarding Abortion Facility Licensing (HB 362)

HB 362 would current Mississippi law regulating the licensing of certain health-care facilities in the state.

Current law prohibits any person from establishing, conducting, operating or maintaining an ambulatory surgical facility or an abortion facility or a freestanding emergency room in the state without a license.

This law would include a prohibition on any other “entity” from establishing, conducting, operating or maintaining an ambulatory surgical facility or an abortion facility or a freestanding emergency room in the state without a license.

HB 362 would enact the following penalties for any person or entity operating an ambulatory surgical facility or conducting the business of an ambulatory surgical facility without the required license, or which violates any regulations of the licensing agency:

• Revocation of the license of the ambulatory surgical facility or a designated section, component or service thereof; or
• Nonlicensure of a specific or designated service offered by the ambulatory surgical facility.

Additionally, any violation of this provision would constitute a misdemeanor and result in a fine of up to $1,000.

This law would also prohibit any other “entity” from establishing, conducting or maintain a “birthing center” in the state without a license.

If passed, this law would take effect July 1, 2017.

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