HB 1701 requires public schools to include specific human growth and development instruction in health classes, directly affecting students in grades where such curriculum is taught. The bill mandates medically accurate content covering abstinence as the preferred choice for unmarried students, STD prevention (including HIV/AIDS and HPV), contraception effectiveness rates, emotional consequences of teen pregnancy, and skills for healthy relationships. It specifically requires schools to show two videos: a high-definition fetal development ultrasound and the "Meet Baby Olivia" video (or successor), both depicting early human development. The bill also requires parental notification about curriculum content and the right to opt children out, while prohibiting abortion-related materials or services in school instruction.
HB 2596 modifies rules for multi-employer self-insured health plans, which are arrangements offering health benefits to employees of two or more employers (or self-employed individuals) without full insurance backing. The bill requires these plans to maintain a minimum financial safety net - either three times their average monthly premium, $600,000, or two times their risk-based capital amount - depending on their experience. This directly affects staff leasing companies and multi-employer health plans that operate without a fully insured insurer. The changes aim to ensure these plans have sufficient funds to cover future claims.
HB 1968 prohibits licensed mental health professionals in Missouri from providing conversion therapy to minors. Conversion therapy is defined as any practice intended to change a minor’s sexual orientation or gender identity, including efforts to alter behaviors or reduce attraction. The bill amends professional licensing laws to include this prohibition as grounds for disciplinary action, such as license denial or revocation. This directly affects mental health practitioners who work with minors and changes regulatory standards for their practice.
HB 2591 modifies Missouri's requirements for becoming a licensed speech-language pathologist. It adds a new requirement that applicants must complete a supervised clinical fellowship under a licensed speech-language pathologist after meeting educational and exam standards. The bill specifies that this fellowship period must follow the completion of a master's or doctoral degree from an accredited program and submission of equivalent coursework transcripts. Applicants with an audiology clinical doctoral degree are exempt from this fellowship requirement. The changes apply directly to individuals seeking licensure in this profession.
HB 1675 limits when health insurance companies (health carriers) can require doctors and hospitals (health care providers) to get prior authorization for medical services. Specifically, insurers cannot demand prior approval unless they approved less than 90% of similar requests from that provider in the previous six-month period (either January-June or July-December). The bill requires insurers to notify providers within 25 days after each period, provide appeal options, and maintain an online portal showing all authorization decisions. It applies to most health plans but excludes Medicaid managed care organizations and providers who haven’t participated in a plan for a full six-month period. The law does not change what services are covered or allow providers to exceed their licensed scope.
SB 1014 modifies the "Jason Flatt/Avery Reine Cantor Act" by repealing and changing existing provisions related to mental health support in public schools. The bill aims to adjust how schools implement mental health programs, though specific changes to the act's requirements are not detailed in the provided context. It affects public school districts and their mental health service delivery. The bill is currently in early committee review (S Education Committee) with no enacted provisions yet.
HB 2365 requires licensed child care facilities to stock epinephrine auto-injectors, train staff to recognize and respond to severe allergic reactions, and adopt written allergy management policies by July 2028. Facilities must store devices accessibly, provide staff training on use, and notify emergency services when devices are administered. The bill provides liability protection for staff acting in good faith during emergencies and explicitly excludes public schools from coverage. It directly affects child care facilities by standardizing emergency response protocols for life-threatening allergies.
This bill prevents Missouri's Department of Health and Senior Services from denying trauma center status to hospitals based solely on their distance from other trauma centers. It directly affects hospitals seeking or maintaining level I, II, or III trauma center designations by removing distance as a disqualifying factor. The law requires the department to base designations on whether hospitals meet established clinical criteria, including national verification standards, rather than geographic proximity. Hospitals that meet these criteria - verified by national bodies like the American College of Surgeons - will not face denial due to location.
HB 1826 modifies Missouri school policies to allow students with asthma or anaphylaxis to self-administer prescribed epinephrine. The bill requires schools to authorize students to carry and use their own medication if a physician prescribes it, the student demonstrates proper use, a written treatment plan is approved, and parents sign a liability acknowledgment form (excluding negligence claims). Schools must keep emergency medication accessible and maintain required documentation on file. It also permits school nurses to maintain an emergency supply of epinephrine devices for student use during health crises.
HB 1944 regulates how Missouri health insurers pay for anesthesia services and handle claim adjustments. It prohibits insurers from setting time limits on anesthesia payments or excluding all anesthesia time from calculations. The bill bans automated systems (including AI) for reducing payments on claims, requiring human physician reviews instead, and mandates clear documentation of downcoding decisions with 180-day appeal timelines. This directly affects anesthesia providers, insurers, and state health programs like MO HealthNet.
