Several licensing boards ask lawmakers for modest pay increases and restored operating funds

Representatives from several professional licensing boards appeared before the Appropriations subcommittee to present FY26 requests that largely focus on personnel pay adjustments, contractual costs and modest operating increases.

The Mississippi State Board of Contractors requested $4.4 million for FY26 and asked the committee to approve salary progressions and contractual increases to help retain staff amid a 32% workload increase over five years. Executive Director Stephanie Lam said salary progressions would total approximately $80,474 spread across 17 employees; the board also requested a contractual increase (about $79,228) for advertising, lease and IT costs. Lam emphasized the board is funded entirely from licensure fees and has no general‑fund revenues.

John Cothern, executive director of the State Board of Architecture, asked for level funding. The board requested $362,783 for FY26; the Joint Legislative Budget Committee recommended $363,967 to account for fringe and retirement changes. Cothern also described proposed legislation to allow limited ownership and entity structure changes for multidisciplinary firms while preserving architect liability; the bill had no number yet and was provided as a policy briefing only.

Leanne Mortdecay, executive director of the Board of Examiners for Licensed Professional Counselors, asked the committee to restore a previously requested $10,000 salary line for two staff positions (including fringe) that had been removed from the LBO recommendation; she noted the board has collected more revenue than expenditures over recent years and that fees are biennial.

Wyvonne Layard of the State Board of Massage Therapy asked lawmakers to restore appropriations to cover increased costs of show‑cause hearings and interpreter services; she offered an example cost of roughly $1,200 for two hours of Cantonese interpretation at a board hearing. Layard also described enforcement work coordinated with the FBI and local law enforcement against illicit massage businesses and human trafficking; the board may revoke licenses but cannot itself criminally prosecute illicit practice.

The State Board of Accountancy told the committee it is not seeking fee increases (individual license/permit fee cited at $110, unchanged since 2014) but requested modest raises for management and staff (3% for two managers; 4% for three nonmanagerial employees). Jeff Jernigan, executive director of the Motor Vehicle Commission, told the committee LBO recommended a slight increase (~$1,800) and noted the agency returned about $18,000 in unspent funds last year and remitted approximately $11,000 in civil penalties to the general fund; he also said the commission is budgeting for a pending manufacturer‑dealer dispute valued at about $2,000,000.

Committee members asked clarifying questions about licensing thresholds (contractor licensing thresholds cited: commercial projects $50,000 and new residential construction $50,000; residential improvement projects over $10,000 may require state licensure) and about whether the boards had considered fee reductions. Presenters said boards generally have not raised fees recently and in most cases are within typical regional ranges.

No formal votes occurred at the conclusion of the presentations; the committee will consider these requests in its appropriation work for FY26.