HB 2159 establishes a licensing system for naturopathic doctors in Missouri by creating the "Board of Naturopathic Medicine" within the Division of Professional Registration. The bill defines naturopathic medicine as a system using natural therapies for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, and specifies that licensed practitioners can perform common diagnostic procedures (like physical exams and lab tests) and minor office procedures (such as injections and allergy testing), but cannot conduct surgery or use general anesthesia. To practice, naturopathic doctors must complete an approved education program and pass a national professional examination. This bill directly affects naturopathic doctors seeking licensure in Missouri and sets clear boundaries for their scope of practice.
HB 2152 expands sales tax exemption eligibility for material recovery processing facilities in Missouri. It modifies the definition of "material recovery processing plant" to explicitly include facilities that recover materials into usable products, as well as equipment used for collecting materials for these plants. This change directly affects businesses operating such recovery facilities by allowing them to qualify for existing sales tax exemptions on materials, equipment, and supplies used in their operations. The bill clarifies that these facilities must primarily recover materials for reuse in new products, excluding standard motor vehicles used on highways. This is a technical adjustment to existing tax law, not a new exemption.
SB 1023 would add specific counties to the current list of counties permitted to collect a sales tax dedicated to public library services. This bill expands the existing authorization without changing the tax rate, funding requirements, or how library funds are used. It directly affects the newly added counties by allowing them to implement this tax method for library funding. The bill is currently under review by the Senate Local Government Committee.
HB 2160 adds mifepristone (a medication used in medical abortions) to Missouri's Schedule I controlled substances, placing it under the most restrictive drug classification. The bill also creates a new criminal offense for "coerced criminal abortion by means of fraud," which would penalize individuals who fraudulently induce an abortion. These changes directly affect healthcare providers, patients seeking abortion care, and individuals accused of coercive abortion practices. The law modifies Missouri's controlled substances scheduling framework and introduces a specific criminal penalty related to abortion procedures. (Note: The bill text lists mifepristone under Schedule I, not Schedule IV as stated in the title.)
SS/SB 895 - This act modifies provisions relating to professional licensing. INTERIOR DESIGNERS (SECTIONS 324.001, 324.028 TO 327.750. 537.033 & 621.045 & THE REPEAL OF SECTIONS 324.406 TO 324.436) This act modifies the registration of interior designers from the Division of Professional Registration with advice and recommendations by the Interior Design Council to the licensing of interior designers from the Missouri Board for Architects, Professional Engineers, Professional Land Surveyors, Professional Landscape Architects, and Licensed Interior Designers ("Board"). The Board shall increase from fifteen members to seventeen members with the two new members being licensed interior designers. The Interior Design Council and the Interior Design Council Fund shall be abolished upon the appointment by the Governor and confirmation by the Senate of the licensed interior designer members of the Board. The rules of the Interior Design Council shall be deemed adopted by the Board until revised, amended, or repealed, of which such action shall be taken on or before January 1, 2027. The funds in the Interior Design Council Fund shall be transferred to the State Board of Architects, Professional Engineers, Professional Land Surveyors, Professional Landscape Architects, and Licensed Interior Designers Fund. Additionally, this act defines the practice of licensed interior design and provides that a licensed interior designer shall undertake to perform licensed interior design services only when he or she is qualified by education, training, and experience in the specific technical areas involved. Furthermore, licensed interior designers shall be in responsible charge of interior design technical submissions that can affect the health, safety, and welfare of the public within their scope of practice. Licensed interior designers shall not take responsible charge over interior technical submissions prepared by another person unless the licensed interior designer actually exercises personal supervision and direct control over such interior technical submissions. This act modifies the educational and training requirements for licensed interior designers by repealing the qualification of at least three years of an interior design curriculum from an accredited institution with three years of experience. Additionally, an applicant shall be exempt from providing substantial evidence of certain educational and training qualifications if his or her curriculum or transcript has been approved by the Board. Nothing in this act shall be construed as precluding an architect from performing any of the services within the practice of licensed interior design. Current law provides that a renewal or reinstatement application for registration as an interior designer shall be accompanied by proof of completion of continuing education in the fields of either interior design or architecture. This act repeals such provision and provides that the Board shall establish the continuing education requirements for interior designers which shall be substantially equivalent to the continuing education requirements for architects. Finally, this act includes licensed interior designers in the definition of "design professional" for immunity from civil liability for participation in a peer review process. This act contains a delayed effective date for the repeal of the Interior Design Council and the Interior Design Fund, which shall become effective upon notification to the Revisor of the appointment of the interior designer members of the Board by the Director of the Division of Professional Regulation. These provisions are identical to SS/SCS/SB 991 (2026), provisions in HCS/SS/SB 1083 (2026), in the truly agreed to and finally passed HCS/SS#2/SB 1233 (2026), and HB 2353 (2026), and are similar to provisions in SB 287 (2025), HB 566 (2025), SB 1325 (2024), and HB 2158 (2024). NONRENEWABLE TEMPORARY LICENSES (SECTION 324.004) Under this act, any person who has at least three years of work experience in an occupation or profession in another state or the District of Columbia that does not use a license to regulate that occupation or profession may submit an application for a non-renewable, two-year temporary license in Missouri to the relevant oversight body. A person shall submit proof of experience in the occupation or profession and proof of citizenship or lawful presence in the United States, except as provided. Within 45 days of receiving the application, the oversight body shall make a determination of qualification. The oversight body shall require an applicant to take and pass a profession-specific examination and may require an examination specific to Missouri laws. If the applicant is not residing in Missouri, the oversight body shall conditionally approve the application. If an applicant fails to provide proof of domicile in Missouri within 60 days of receipt of temporary license, the oversight body may terminate the temporary license and the applicant may reapply for the temporary license. Upon expiration of the temporary license, individuals shall be required to apply for a permanent license, consistent with the licensure and application requirements of that license as set forth in statute and rule. A license issued under this act shall not be qualified for reciprocity with another state or as part of an interstate compact. The provisions of this act shall not apply to certain specified professions. This provision is identical to a provision in HCS/SS/SB 1083 (2026), in HCS/SB 1092 (2026), and in the truly agreed to and finally passed HCS/SS#2/SB 1233 (2026) and is similar to a provision in HCS/HB 2300 (2026), in SS/SB 61 (2025) and in the perfected HB 478 (2025), SB 817 (2024), in HCS/SS#2/SCS/SB 88 (2023), and HB 1900 (2022). BACKGROUND CHECK AND OTHER DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR PHYSICIAN LICENSURE (SECTION 334.031) This act requires a candidate applying for licensure as a physician to submit to a criminal background check and furnish certain educational and experience documents. This act also allows the Board of Registration for the Healing Arts to require applicants to list all licenses to practice as a physician currently or previously held in another state, territory, or country and to disclose any past or pending investigations, discipline, or sanctions for such licenses. The Board may also obtain a report on the applicant from the National Practitioner Data Bank or the Federation of State Medical Boards. This provision is identical to SCS/SB 1423 (2026), a provision in SCS/HB 2591 (2026), and HB 2976 (2026), is substantially similar to a provision in HCS/SS/SB 1083 (2026), in the truly agreed to and finally passed SS/SCS/HCS/HB 2372 (2026), and in SCS/SB 292 (2025), and is similar to a provision in SB 1030 (2024), SB 1251 (2024), HB 2349 (2024), HB 2753 (2025), HB 1279 (2023), SB 511 (2023), and SB 538 (2021). LENGTH OF SUPERVISION FOR SOCIAL WORK (SECTION 337.600) This act modifies the definitions of a "qualified advanced macro supervisor," "qualified baccalaureate supervisor," and "qualified clinical supervisor" to provide that such person is a licensed social worker who has practiced social work for which he or she is supervising the applicant for a minimum of three, instead of five, years. This provision is identical to a provision in HCS/SS/SB 1083 (2026), in HCS/SB 1092 (2026), in the truly agreed to and finally agreed to HCS/SS#2/SB 1233 (2026), SB 1417 (2026), HB 1963 (2026), in HCS/HB 2300 (2026), in the truly agreed to and finally passed SS/SCS/HCS/HB 2372 (2026), in SCS/HB 2591 (2026), SB 479 (2025), and SB 563 (2025), and is substantially similar to HB 886 (2025). CLINICAL FELLOWSHIPS FOR SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS & AUDIOLOGISTS (SECTION 345.050) This act modifies the requirements for licensure as a speech pathologist or audiologist by providing for completion of a clinical fellowship under the direct supervision of a licensed speech-language pathologist in good standing, rather than under the direct supervision of a person licensed by the state of Missouri in the profession in which the applicant seeks to be licensed. This provision is identical to SB 1405 (2026), a provision in the truly agreed to and finally passed SS/SCS/HCS/HB 2372 (2026), in HCS/SS/SB 7 (2025), in the perfected SS/SB 61 (2025), in the perfected HCS/HB 268 (2025), SB 431 (2025), in the perfected HB 478 (2025), in HB 765 (2025), and in SCS/HB 834 (2025), and is substantially similar to a provision in HCS/SB 1019 (2026), in HCS/SS/SB 1083 (2026), in HCS/SB 1092 (2026), in the truly agreed to and finally passed HCS/SS#2/SB 1233 (2026), in HCS/HB 2300 (2026), and in SCS/HB 2591 (2026). KATIE O'BRIEN
HB 2165 amends Missouri law to expand the definition of "special victim" in criminal assault cases. It specifically adds sports officials - such as referees, umpires, or linesmen - who are assaulted while performing their duties at any level of sporting event. To qualify, the official must be trained, certified, or registered by a recognized sports organization. This change means assault against these officials will now be treated as a "special victim" offense under existing sentencing laws, potentially leading to enhanced penalties. The bill does not alter sentencing ranges but broadens who qualifies for this legal classification.
HB 2166 changes how prosecuting attorneys in Missouri counties of the third classification are paid. It sets their salary based on county property value (e.g., $37,000 for counties with $18-40.9 million valuation) and links additional payments to specific requirements. Prosecutors must complete 20+ hours of approved training annually to earn $2,000, collect mandated data to earn $5,000, and provide proper discovery to earn $3,000. The state will reimburse 30% of these salaries for third-class counties through appropriations.
HB 2177 replaces Missouri's existing rules for compensating victims of personal injury or wrongful death with new provisions. It creates a "Tort Victims' Compensation Fund" that collects 50% of punitive damage judgments (after attorney fees) from eligible cases. To qualify, individuals must be Missouri residents or have injuries occurring in Missouri, not be corporations, not have certain criminal histories, and have uncollected judgments from finalized lawsuits. The law requires victims to notify the state attorney general of punitive damage awards, triggering a state lien for fund deposits.
SB 887 - This act establishes the "Missouri Lyme Disease Eradication Act". First, Lyme disease is added to the list of diseases that must be reported to the Department of Health and Senior Services by health care providers, laboratories, and local health departments. The Department shall compile an annual report on the incidence and prevalence of Lyme disease in Missouri, as described in the act. The Department shall also collaborate with public four-year institutions of higher education to integrate Lyme disease surveillance data into existing tick-borne disease monitoring programs. Next, this act creates the "Lyme Research and Eradication Fund" in the state treasury. The Department shall use the moneys in the fund to distribute grants for the purposes of developing treatments, studying novel therapies, and researching eradication strategies. Grants shall be prioritized as described in the act, with no less than 20% of funds utilized to support eradication efforts in rural counties. Under this act, a health care provider shall not be subject to any discipline, suspension, or revocation of license or denial of a license renewal, solely for prescribing, administering, or dispensing treatments or therapies for Lyme disease or Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome (PTLDS), including extended antibiotic therapy or similar treatment deemed medically necessary. Finally, this act requires every health carrier or health benefit plan offering or issuing health benefit plans in the state on or after January 1, 2027, to provide coverage for diagnostic testing, treatment, and management of Lyme disease and PTLDS for insured persons who receive a diagnosis from a licensed health care provider, including testing, antibiotic therapy, supportive therapies, and holistic or herbal supplements and therapies. Coverage shall be subject to the same deductibles, coinsurance, and out-of-pocket maximums as apply to other services covered under the plan for nonpreventative services. The carrier or plan shall not deny or limit coverage for Lyme disease tests or treatments based solely on guidelines that deem extended antibiotic therapy to be experimental, impose step therapy or prior authorization requirements described in the act, or rescind coverage retroactively for related claims without evidence of fraud. By July 1 each year, each carrier and plan shall report certain Lyme disease-related data to the Director of the Department of Commerce and Insurance, who shall share the data with the General Assembly and the Department of Health and Senior Services to inform research priorities. SARAH HASKINS
This bill changes Missouri law to protect drivers who flee unlawful or riotous gatherings in motor vehicles. It states that if a person reasonably believes they or others in their vehicle are in danger and exercises due care while driving away, they cannot be held criminally or civilly liable for injuries or deaths to people participating in the gathering. The law specifically applies to those attempting to flee such assemblages, not general traffic incidents. It replaces an existing law that previously made participants in unlawful gatherings liable for damages caused by the group.
HB 2168 creates a Missouri motion picture rebate program to incentivize film and television production within the state. It offers rebates of up to 30% of qualifying expenses for productions meeting specific criteria, including a Missouri credit statement in credits, minimum expense thresholds ($50,000 for short projects, $100,000 for longer ones), and exclusion of categories like news, political ads, or sports events. An additional 5% rebate is available if at least 75% of cast/crew are Missouri residents or filming occurs outside Kansas City/St. Louis metro areas. The state will appropriate up to $35 million annually for rebates, with a single project capped at 25% of that annual limit. The Department of Economic Development administers the program, requiring certified cost reports and annual reporting on approved projects and employment.
The provided context does not include specific provisions, mechanisms, or policy details of SB 998. While the bill's title and abstract indicate it relates to modifications of Missouri's Empowerment Scholarship Accounts Program, no concrete changes (such as eligibility rules, funding amounts, or affected groups) are described in the available information. Without details on what provisions are created, repealed, or modified, a factual summary of the bill's policy impact cannot be generated. For a complete summary, the full text of the bill or official legislative description would be required.
