Rep. Lisa Thomas

Maddy summaryThis bill allows resource parents and adoptive parents to receive monetary reimbursement for unused respite care or child care subsidy days if the child's special needs prevented their use, as verified by a doctor or the parent. To qualify, the parent must submit a specific form to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, which is required to process the payment within thirty days. The funds received under this program are explicitly excluded from being counted as taxable income. Additionally, the bill grants the department authority to create necessary rules for administering these reimbursements, subject to standard state review procedures.

Maddy summaryHB 2117 creates a state program that offers forgivable grants to Missouri families who have adopted three or more children with special needs. To qualify, the family must have raised these children for a combined total of at least fifty years, with at least two children living in the home for more than eighteen years. If the family continues to care for the children until their cumulative time in the home reaches one hundred years, the grant money becomes free of repayment. The funds, sourced from state appropriations, can be used for home improvements or other projects to meet the children's needs, and the program is administered by the Division of Senior and Disability Services.

Maddy summaryHB 2120 creates a three-year pilot program to provide financial assistance to parents and guardians caring for adopted children or wards with nursing care needs. The bill allows eligible families to receive a lump-sum payment if their care recipient previously received inadequate private duty nursing services, calculated based on the hours of care that were not provided. These funds can be used for various needs, including hiring licensed nurses, purchasing medical equipment, vehicle modifications, or paying for therapies, without being counted as taxable income. To ensure accountability, participants must keep detailed records of how the money is spent and submit an annual report to the Department of Health and Senior Services, which will evaluate the program's effectiveness before it ends.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a credentialing process for community health workers, who are frontline public health workers that act as trusted liaisons between communities and health services. Under the new rules, the Department of Health and Senior Services would create a system to verify the qualifications of these workers, allowing those with verified credentials to officially use that status in their professional communications. The legislation clarifies that individuals may continue to work as community health workers regardless of whether their credentials have been verified through this new process.

Maddy summaryHB 1889 requires anyone operating a vessel on Missouri's lakes to carry a permanent boating safety identification card, which can be obtained by completing an approved safety course, passing an equivalency exam, or holding a valid U.S. Coast Guard license. The bill allows the Water Patrol Division to charge a fee for these cards and mandates that all collected funds be used exclusively to finance statewide boating safety initiatives, including personnel, training, and equipment for law enforcement. Several exemptions are provided for individuals such as Coast Guard-licensed masters, military personnel, residents of private lakes, and those with valid licenses from other states. Additionally, the legislation authorizes boat rental companies to issue temporary identification cards for up to seven days to facilitate the sale or rental of vessels, with fees from these temporary cards also directed to the safety fund.

Maddy summaryHB 2119 establishes an "18+ adoption subsidy" in Missouri that allows financial support for adopted youth with significant medical, emotional, or behavioral needs to continue until age twenty-one. The bill defines specific conditions, such as autism, severe mental health disorders, and physical disabilities, that qualify a child for this extended assistance, which is intended to cover basic living expenses like food, clothing, and shelter. To receive these funds, adoptive parents must be Missouri residents and provide medical documentation proving the child's extraordinary needs require care beyond the standard age limit. Additionally, the legislation creates a process for requesting these subsidies six months before the youth turns eighteen and allows for retroactive payment adjustments to ensure families are compensated from the original placement date.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates the definitions and procedures for categorizing foster youth with significant medical, emotional, or behavioral needs into two specific levels: Level A, which requires greater structure, and Level B, which demands 24-hour skilled care. It establishes a team responsible for evaluating a youth's suitability for high-level care and provides a specific list of conditions, such as autism or severe mental health disorders, that qualify a child for these elevated categories. The legislation also creates a streamlined process for sibling groups, allowing families to request a higher funding category for all children in the group if they are placed together, with provisions for reimbursement if they were previously under-categorized.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the state of Missouri to transfer ownership of the Lee C. Fine Airport in Miller County to the City of Osage Beach in Camden County. The state commissioner of administration will determine the specific terms of the transfer, which may include appraisal requirements and timing, while the attorney general must approve the legal documents. Once the property is conveyed, the laws and ordinances currently in effect for the City of Osage Beach will apply to the former state-owned land.