Mississippi legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Mississippi HB1461: Advanced practice registered nurses; authorize to sign death certificates and POLST orders.
Status: Failed, February 3, 2026
AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE AN ADVANCED PRACTICE REGISTERED NURSE (APRN) TO COMPLETE, SIGN AND FILE A CERTIFICATE OF DEATH IF THE APRN WAS THE PROVIDER IN CHARGE OF THE PATIENT'S CARE FOR THE ILLNESS OR CONDITION THAT RESULTED IN DEATH, OR IF THE APRN IS PROVIDING COVERAGE FOR THE PATIENT'S PRIMARY PROVIDER; TO AMEND SECTIONS 41-57-13 AND 41-61-63, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CONFORM TO THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT; TO AMEND SECTION 41-41-302, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO AUTHORIZE AN APRN TO SIGN AND EXECUTE A PHYSICIAN ORDER FOR LIFE-SUSTAINING TREATMENT (POLST) FOR A PATIENT UNDER THE NURSE'S CARE; TO AMEND SECTION 41-41-303, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CONFORM TO THE PRECEDING PROVISION; TO AMEND SECTION 73-15-5, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT THE PRACTICE OF NURSING BY AN APRN INCLUDES THE AUTHORITY TO SIGN, CERTIFY, OR ENDORSE DOCUMENTS AS REQUIRED BY LAW, INCLUDING DEATH CERTIFICATES AND POLST ORDERS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
What the bill says
An act to authorize an advanced practice registered nurse (aprn) to complete, sign and file a certificate of death if the aprn was the provider in charge of the patient's care for the illness or condition that resulted in death, or if the aprn is providing coverage for the patient's primary provider; to amend sections 41-57-13 and 41-61-63, mississippi code of 1972, to conform to the provisions of this act; to amend section 41-41-302, mississippi code of 1972, to authorize an aprn to sign and execute a physician order for life-sustaining treatment (polst) for a patient under the nurse's care…
From the introduced text:
AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE AN ADVANCED PRACTICE REGISTERED NURSE (APRN) TO COMPLETE, SIGN AND FILE A CERTIFICATE OF DEATH IF THE APRN WAS THE PROVIDER IN CHARGE OF THE PATIENT'S CARE FOR THE ILLNESS OR CONDITION THAT RESULTED IN DEATH, OR IF THE APRN IS PROVIDING COVERAGE FOR THE PATIENT'S PRIMARY PROVIDER; TO AMEND SECTIONS 41-57-13 AND 41-61-63, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CONFORM TO THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT; TO AMEND SECTION 41-41-302, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO AUTHORIZE AN APRN TO SIGN AND EXECUTE A PHYSICIAN ORDER FOR LIFE-SUSTAINING TREATMENT (POLST) FOR A PATIENT UNDER THE NURSE'S CARE; TO AMEND SECTION 41-41-303, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CONFORM TO THE PRECEDING PROVISION; TO AMEND SECTION 73-15-5, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT THE PRACTICE OF NURSING BY AN APRN INCLUDES THE AUTHORITY TO SIGN, CERTIFY, OR ENDORSE DOCUMENTS AS REQUIRED BY LAW, INCLUDING DEATH CERTIFICATES AND POLST ORDERS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: SECTION 1. (1) The certificate of death shall be filled out and signed by the physician, the advanced practice registered nurse (APRN), or by the coroner medical examiner in charge of the case. (2) An APRN licensed under Section 73-15-1 et seq. may complete, sign and file a certificate of death if the APRN …