Practice of medicine or dentistry; allow persons convicted of certain crimes to practice after license reinstatement.

HB 679 would allow medical and dental professionals convicted of specific crimes - such as burglary, theft, or embezzlement - to resume practice after their licenses are reinstated by the State Board of Medical Licensure or State Board of Dental Examiners. Currently, these individuals must obtain a full pardon to practice, but the bill would replace that requirement with a board-led reinstatement process. The key change modifies Mississippi Code Section 99-19-35 to remove the automatic bar for these offenses once a license is restored. This directly affects licensed healthcare providers who previously faced permanent disqualification due to certain convictions. The bill died in committee in 2026 and was never enacted.