Labor & Employment (Workplace Safety)

SB 1775 creates new rules to prevent and address workplace violence against healthcare workers in hospitals and clinics. It directly affects healthcare facilities, staff, and individuals who commit violent acts in these settings. The bill modifies how assault charges apply when violence occurs in healthcare environments, potentially elevating penalties for such offenses. This is a substantive policy change focused on worker safety and legal accountability, not a procedural or commemorative measure.

HB 3401 requires hospitals to create workplace violence prevention plans to protect healthcare staff, including nurses, doctors, and security personnel, from physical violence or threats. The bill mandates that each facility form a committee with specific staff representatives, develop a plan including confidential reporting systems, annual training, and clear definitions of workplace violence (covering physical attacks, weapon use, and threats), and install specific warning signs in emergency and labor/delivery areas. It also prohibits retaliation against staff who report violence and requires facilities to provide post-incident support. Hospitals must annually review these plans and make them available to staff, with limited redactions for security reasons.

SB 956 modifies Missouri's workers' compensation law (RSMo §287.120, §287.240, §537.610) to clarify employer liability and adjust benefit amounts based on specific circumstances. It directly affects most Missouri employees and employers covered by workers' comp, requiring employers to pay for work-related injuries but allowing benefits to increase (25-50%) if employers violate safety standards or decrease/forfeit (up to 50% or fully) if employees fail to use safety equipment, use alcohol/drugs at work (with strict testing rules), or participate in recreational activities without employer authorization. The bill also limits mental health claims to "extraordinary and unusual" work stress and specifies that disciplinary actions don't qualify as compensable stress. These changes define concrete policy adjustments to benefit calculations without advocating for or against the law.