Environment
No direct effect
Neutral — no direct effect identified.
Benefits
- No material direct effect identified.
Risks
- No material direct effect identified.
StateMississippiIntroduced
SN 68: LaPatrick D. (Pat) Stephens, LCSW, Starkville, Mississippi, Board of Examiners for Social Workers and Marriage and Family Therapists as a Licensed Certified Social Worker, four year term effective upon confirmation and ending June 30, 2028.
GOVERNOR
SN 68 status: Introduced — Notified of Return (updated Apr 16, 2026).
Source
OpenStates
Confidence
Low
Analysis basis
OpenStates summary
01
What this bill does
Official summary alongside an AI-generated read on where it stands and why.
Overall Score
60OUT OF 100
Score:60/100 civic fit
Risk:Low Risk
Impact:Low Impact 10/100
Constitutionality95%
Bipartisan50%
Public opinion50%
Bill summary
What changes
The bill confirms the appointment of LaPatrick D. (Pat) Stephens to the Board of Examiners for Social Workers and Marriage and Family Therapists.
Who is affected
The Board of Examiners and professionals regulated by the board.
Requirements and enforcement
The Senate must approve the appointment to finalize the four-year term.
Costs and funding
Not stated in the available source.
When it takes effect
Term effective upon confirmation, ending June 30, 2028.
Potential benefits
Provides administrative continuity for professional regulation.
Risks and tradeoffs
Minimal public information on nominee's specific regulatory approach.
What is still unknown
Specific internal board priorities remain undisclosed.
02
Impact analysis
✦ AI analysisModeled effects across six domains, estimated from bill text and comparable legislation.
Economy
No direct effect
Neutral — no direct effect identified.
Benefits
- No material direct effect identified.
Risks
- No material direct effect identified.
Society
No direct effect
Neutral — no direct effect identified.
Benefits
- No material direct effect identified.
Risks
- No material direct effect identified.
Technology Industry
No direct effect
Neutral — no direct effect identified.
Benefits
- No material direct effect identified.
Risks
- No material direct effect identified.
Civic Accountability
Positive outlook
60%
Benefits
- Fills a vacant position on a professional regulatory board.
- Ensures continued board operations through formal confirmation.
- Facilitates democratic oversight of professional licensing bodies.
Risks
- Appointment process may lack competitive public vetting.
- Confirmation is largely routine rather than a rigorous audit.
- Nominee's specific policy views remain unexamined in the source.
Public Health & Safety
Positive outlook
60%
Benefits
- Appointee has professional experience as a social worker.
- Supports stable oversight of mental health practice standards.
- Ensures board presence for reviewing professional complaints.
Risks
- Performance of individual appointees is inherently uncertain.
- Confirmation process provides minimal assessment of health policy.
- Board may still face resource or administrative limitations.
03
How trustworthy & consequential it is
Sourcing already shown above, this is what the analysis found worth flagging.
Source
OpenStates
Official bill text or data from OpenStates.
Confidence
Low
Information is limited or incomplete.
Analysis basis
OpenStates summary
Source used for this bill's analysis.
Source note
No information provided regarding potential conflicts of interest.
Analysis scope
Source is limited to a brief OpenStates summary.
04
Where it stands
Official record- IntroducedCurrent
- CommitteeUpcoming
- Chamber votesUpcoming
- Final agreementUpcoming
- GovernorUpcoming
- EnactedUpcoming
05
How it affects your district
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06
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