Senate Bill 2782 Summary

• Establishes civil immunity for licensed medical professionals (physicians, physician assistants, osteopaths, dentists, dental hygienists, ophthalmologists, optometrists, nurses, and certified nurse practitioners) who voluntarily provide care to indigent or needy persons without compensation, except in cases of gross negligence or willful misconduct.

• Allows medical professionals providing volunteer care to indigent persons to earn one continuing education credit hour for each 60 minutes of service, with the ability to satisfy up to one-third of annual continuing education requirements through volunteer work.

• Permits nonresident medical professionals licensed in any U.S. state, territory, or possession to provide temporary volunteer health services in Mississippi without additional licensure if working through a sponsoring nonprofit organization registered with the Department of Health.

• Requires sponsoring nonprofit organizations to register annually with the Department of Health for $50, maintain records of volunteer medical professionals and services, file quarterly reports, and comply with Department oversight requirements.

• Extends civil immunity to nonresident medical professionals providing temporary volunteer services through registered sponsoring organizations, protecting them from liability except for gross negligence, willful misconduct, fraud, malice, libel, slander, defamation, or criminal offenses.