(1) The State Board of Funeral Service is authorized to establish a trainee and apprenticeship program whereby persons desiring to apprentice as a funeral service or funeral director trainee may be issued a resident traineeship certificate to practice funeral directing or funeral service under the direct on-premises supervision of a sponsoring Mississippi licensed funeral director or funeral service practitioner.

(2) A person desiring to become a resident trainee for the practice of funeral service or funeral directing shall make application to the board. Such application shall be verified by the licensee under whom the applicant is serving, and shall be accompanied by a nonrefundable application fee in an amount set by the board in accordance with Section 73-11-56. When the board is satisfied as to the qualifications of an applicant, it shall issue a certificate of resident traineeship.

(3) The board shall have the power to suspend or revoke a certificate of a resident traineeship for violation of any provision of this chapter.

(4) A resident trainee must serve the apprenticeship in a funeral establishment that is licensed by the State of Mississippi and the preceptor must be a Mississippi licensed funeral service practitioner or funeral director who is employed by a Mississippi licensed funeral establishment and actively practicing within the State of Mississippi. The funeral service trainee and apprenticeship program shall be completed within no less than twelve (12) months or more than eighteen (18) months under the direct supervision of a funeral director or funeral service licensee of the board. The funeral director trainee and apprenticeship program shall be completed within no less than twenty-four (24) months or more than thirty (30) months under the direct supervision of a funeral director or funeral service licensee of the board. The board may not adopt any rule that shall require a trainee for funeral directing or funeral service to be employed more than sixty-four (64) hours per month.

(5) A resident trainee may serve under the supervision of more than one (1) preceptor under conditions established by board rules and regulations. The board may also adopt rules that will allow training at more than one (1) funeral establishment under special circumstances.

(6) A resident traineeship certificate shall be valid for one (1) year. The board may renew a resident traineeship certificate if the trainee applies for renewal on a form provided by the board, shows that the training activity continues to satisfy applicable requirements and pays a renewal fee as set by the board. The fee and application will be considered late if the fee and application are not in the office or show a postmark of December 31. Applications received late may be reinstated by the payment of a renewal fee, a reinstatement fee and other applicable fees. Failure to receive a renewal notice does not exempt a resident trainee from the required renewal of his/her traineeship.

(7) A resident trainee shall not advertise or hold himself out as a funeral director, funeral service practitioner, embalmer or use any other title or abbreviation indicating that the trainee is a funeral director, funeral service practitioner or embalmer. A resident trainee does not have the rights and duties of a funeral director or funeral service licensee and is only authorized to act under the direct supervision of the approved preceptor.