HB 2644 creates the "Respiratory Care Interstate Compact," allowing respiratory therapists licensed in one participating state to practice in other participating states without obtaining separate licenses. This directly affects licensed respiratory therapists and supports active military members and their spouses who relocate across state lines. The bill establishes a "Compact Privilege" that lets therapists practice under their home state license while adhering to the patient’s location rules, requiring only a criminal background check and active home state license. It aims to improve access to respiratory therapy services, reduce administrative burdens, and address workforce shortages without altering state licensing authority.
HB 2740 creates a governance board at the University of Missouri to oversee and report on research using radioisotopes for diagnosing and treating rare pediatric diseases (affecting fewer than 200,000 children under 18 in the U.S.). The board, including university medical representatives, legislative appointees, a patient advocate, and an industry partner, must submit annual public reports to Missouri lawmakers by December 31 each year detailing completed research projects, outcomes, funding used, and legislative recommendations. This bill directly affects the University of Missouri system, patient advocates, and the Missouri legislature through its reporting requirements. The board’s duties expire on June 30, 2030.
HB 2745 requires specific health screenings for children entering Missouri's foster care system under the Children's Division. Within 72 hours of custody, a pediatrician must conduct a physical exam, and within 30 days, a developmental/behavioral screening must be completed by a licensed professional. Foster families gain access to the child's medical records within 30 days, and screenings must follow American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines. The bill directly affects children in state custody, their foster caregivers, and healthcare providers involved in their care.
SB 1511 requires physicians to include patient questions and their responses about care and treatment within official medical records. This would directly affect doctors who maintain patient records, mandating they document these interactions alongside standard medical notes. The bill’s abstract describes a procedural change to medical record-keeping practices but does not specify additional requirements or impacts beyond this documentation update. As the bill is currently in early committee referral (prefiled January 2026), no further details about implementation or scope are available in the provided context.
HB 3131 requires that for all emergency calls classified as mental-health related, law enforcement must respond with a behavioral health specialist (such as a psychologist, social worker, or counselor) alongside the officer. This applies unless dispatch or on-scene assessment indicates an immediate threat of violence, in which case officers may initially secure the scene without the specialist but must bring them in once the scene is safe. The bill mandates standardized dispatch protocols to identify mental-health calls and assign co-response teams, directly affecting Missouri law enforcement agencies and emergency dispatch centers. It aims to improve crisis response by ensuring trained behavioral health professionals are part of the initial emergency team for mental health calls.
HB 2874 creates rules for air ambulance membership plans, which are non-insurance programs that let people pay for air ambulance services in advance. It directly affects Missouri residents enrolled in MO HealthNet (Missouri's Medicaid program), as these individuals cannot purchase or renew such memberships. Key provisions require membership organizations to: (1) stop selling to MO HealthNet enrollees, (2) offer a partial refund or transfer if someone joins Medicaid during their membership, and (3) clearly state in all marketing and applications that the plan is not insurance and Medicaid beneficiaries are ineligible. The bill also mandates specific disclosures about Medicaid ineligibility and prohibits marketing to Medicaid members. Violations can be reported to the state Attorney General for enforcement.
SB 1539 - This act establishes the Missouri Guaranteed Inclusive Voluntary Exceptional Service (MO GIVES) Program under the Department of the National Guard (Department). The MO GIVES Program allows members of the Missouri National Guard who choose to become living organ donors to receive living donor medical orders for purposes of remaining on paid status during the living donation period. The Department shall approve a member's participation if sufficient funds are available and the member: (1) Is under Troop Program Unit status or Individual Ready Reserve status; (2) Is in good standing with the Department; (3) Either is not eligible for living donor paid leave from the member's employer or elects not to use any such employer-based benefit available to the member; (4) Specifies the type of donation; and (5) Agrees to undergo the procurement operation at a health care facility approved as a provider of continuing education points for transplant certification by the American Board for Transplant Certification. Upon approval of a member's application, the Department shall issue a living donor medical order, which shall: (1) Guarantee paid leave for the member for the living donation period, which shall not exceed 45 days unless an extension of time is deemed medically necessary by the primary surgical and medical recovery team; (2) Exempt the member from any requirement to use accrued annual or medical leave for the guaranteed paid living donation period; and (3) Provide a per diem allowance and a basic allowance for housing during the guaranteed paid living donation period based on the member's rank, region, and dependent status. This act also establishes the MO GIVES Fund, which consists of moneys used to fund the benefits provided under the MO GIVES Program. This act is identical to a provision in the perfected SS/SCS/SB 974 (2026), SB 1555 (2026), HB 2664 (2026), and HB 2943 (2026), and is similar to a provision in the truly agreed to and finally passed SS/SCS/HB 2593 (2026). KATIE O'BRIEN
HB 3007 updates Missouri's licensing requirements for psychologists. It requires doctoral degree holders from accredited programs (or programs meeting specific criteria like core curriculum and supervision standards) to complete three semester hours of domestic violence training. Applicants must also accumulate at least 1,500 hours of supervised internship experience and 2,000 total professional experience hours. The bill applies to new license applicants and provides a transition option for those who began their education before August 28, 1990, allowing them to choose between old and new requirements.
HB 3099 expands prescribing authority for advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), excluding nurse anesthetists, to include certain controlled substances. APRNs with a specific nursing board certificate and under collaborative practice agreements with physicians may now prescribe Schedule II-V controlled substances, including hydrocodone for hospice patients, but face restrictions: no self-prescribing, 120-hour supply limits for Schedule II/III medications, and strict written agreements required. The bill mandates detailed written collaborative agreements between APRNs and physicians, including location disclosures for patients and geographic proximity rules (with limited exceptions for rural areas and correctional facilities). It also allows APRNs to prescribe buprenorphine for addiction treatment up to 30 days without refill under physician direction.
HB 2922 allows manufacturers to provide unapproved investigational drugs, biological products, or devices to patients with terminal, life-threatening, or severely debilitating conditions who have exhausted other FDA-approved treatments. It defines "eligible patients" as those meeting specific medical criteria and requiring physician recommendations and written consent. The bill does not require manufacturers to provide these treatments (they may charge costs), insurers to cover them, or state agencies to penalize doctors for recommending them. It also provides liability protection for providers who follow the law when administering such treatments.
