HB 2664 establishes the "MO GIVES Program" to provide Missouri National Guard members who donate organs with guaranteed paid leave during their donation process. The program covers up to 45 days of paid status (extendable if medically necessary), exempts members from using personal leave, and provides per diem and housing allowances based on rank and location. To qualify, members must be in Troop Program Unit or Individual Ready Reserve status, in good standing, and either lack employer donor leave or choose not to use it. Benefits are funded through a dedicated "MO GIVES Fund" created in the state treasury, which can accept private or federal contributions and retains unspent funds at biennium end.
HB 2675 requires the state Department of Mental Health to apply for federal grant funding to create a statewide mobile mental health unit program. If funded, the program would partner with local health agencies to deploy vehicles that provide mental health information, reduce stigma around mental health and substance use, connect people to community care, and help schedule appointments. The mobile units would operate across communities to improve access to behavioral health services and promote public awareness. This is a procedural bill focused on securing federal resources to launch the initiative, not direct funding.
This bill creates a grant program to fund FDA-approved clinical trials using ibogaine (a substance under review for treating opioid use disorder and mental health conditions). It requires state-based medical entities with specific research expertise, matching non-state funds, and partnerships with other states to apply for grants. The bill establishes two dedicated funds: one for grant disbursements and another to manage revenue from intellectual property rights generated by successful trials, with funds directed toward veterans and at-risk populations. It mandates quarterly reporting on trial progress and financials to the health department, while requiring physician supervision for ibogaine administration during trials.
SB 1598 updates medical malpractice laws to address errors involving artificial intelligence in healthcare. It adds a specific two-year time limit for patients to sue if negligence relates to AI use in diagnosis, treatment, or patient care - starting from when the patient discovers the error, not when it occurred. This applies directly to patients seeking compensation for harm caused by AI tools used by healthcare providers like doctors, hospitals, or clinics. The bill does not change liability but adjusts the legal timeframe for filing claims involving AI-related mistakes.
Tags
Artificial Intelligence
HB 2750 modifies Missouri's laws governing newborn screening and laboratory testing by the Department of Health and Senior Services. It requires all testing results and personal information to remain confidential, with release only permitted after parents or guardians provide informed consent about the scope, risks, and recipients of the information. The bill mandates that newborn screening results be destroyed one year after finalization (except when shared with a child's healthcare provider) and specifies biological specimens must be retained for one year before destruction, unless parents direct otherwise (e.g., to return, destroy, or store the specimen without allowing anonymous study). The law maintains the requirement for newborn screening for specific metabolic and genetic diseases, performed by the Department, with parental consent.
HB 2935 requires hospitals with emergency departments to have a physician physically present and on duty at all times the emergency department is open. This directly affects all hospitals operating emergency services within the state. The key provision mandates continuous on-site medical supervision during all operational hours, eliminating gaps in physician availability. The bill is currently in the early legislative stages after introduction in January 2026.
HB 2979, the "Missouri Rural Doctors Act," restricts non-compete agreements between physicians and nonprofit healthcare employers. It limits such agreements to no more than 365 days and a 5-mile geographic radius around the physician's specific clinical facility, applying only to physicians providing direct patient care. The law does not apply to agreements with research university hospitals. This directly affects rural doctors and nonprofit clinics by preventing overly broad restrictions that could limit patient access to care. The bill aims to support physician mobility in underserved areas without banning non-competes entirely.
HB 3098 creates a funding mechanism for behavioral health crisis services by imposing two new fees on wireless service providers. It requires dealers selling prepaid wireless to charge $0.65 per transaction and CMRS providers to charge $0.65 monthly per postpaid line for customers with Missouri as their primary place of use. All collected funds will be deposited into the new "988 Crisis Continuum Fund" managed by the state treasurer. These funds must be used exclusively by the Department of Mental Health to operate crisis services (like 988 support) and open access behavioral health services for uninsured or underinsured residents. The bill directly affects wireless service providers and end users purchasing wireless plans, while expanding access to behavioral health crisis care.
HB 3152 requires hospitals with off-campus outpatient clinics (located more than 250 yards from the main campus) to use a separate unique health provider ID (NPI) for billing those locations. It directly affects hospitals, health insurers, and patients receiving care at these off-campus sites by mandating separate billing to prevent incorrect charges. The key provision requires all claims for services at these clinics to use the dedicated NPI on standard billing forms, starting after December 31, 2026. Violations can result in fines up to $1,000 per incident, license penalties, or liability for patients if hospitals improperly bill them.
HB 3096 establishes a rebuttable presumption that certain cancers and occupational diseases (including heart, respiratory, and specific cancers like lung or prostate cancer) contracted by firefighters and fire investigators are work-related, shifting the burden of proof to employers to disprove the connection. It also adds PTSD as a compensable occupational disease for first responders when diagnosed after experiencing specific qualifying traumatic events, such as witnessing severe injuries or deaths. The bill updates Missouri's workers' compensation framework to cover these conditions without requiring proof of direct causation, provided clear evidence links the condition to job-related exposures or events. This directly affects paid firefighters and fire investigators certified under state law who develop covered illnesses during their duties.
