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Missouri House Bill HB1298

Missouri 2025 Regular Session

Missouri House Bill HB1298 Compare Versions

OldNewDifferences
11 FIRSTREGULARSESSION
2-[PERFECTED]
32 HOUSEBILLNO.1298
43 103RDGENERALASSEMBLY
54 INTRODUCEDBYREPRESENTATIVEJONES(88).
6-2776H.01P JOSEPHENGLER,ChiefClerk
5+2776H.01I JOSEPHENGLER,ChiefClerk
76 ANACT
87 Torepealsections192.2405and210.115,RSMo,andtoenactinlieuthereofsixnewsections
98 relatingtoreportingofabuseandneglect,withpenaltyprovisions.
109 BeitenactedbytheGeneralAssemblyofthestateofMissouri,asfollows:
1110 SectionA.Sections192.2405and210.115,RSMo,arerepealedandsixnewsections
1211 2enactedinlieuthereof,tobeknownassections192.2405,192.2510,210.115,210.191,
1312 3273.410,and273.415,toreadasfollows:
1413 192.2405.1.Thefollowingpersonsshallberequiredtoimmediatelyreportorcause
1514 2areporttobemadetothedepartmentundersections192.2400to192.2470:
1615 3 (1)Anypersonhavingreasonablecausetosuspectthataneligibleadultpresentsa
1716 4likelihoodofsufferingseriousphysicalharm,orbullyingasdefinedinsubdivision(2)of
1817 5section192.2400,andisinneedofprotectiveservices;and
1918 6 (2)Anyadultdaycareworker,chiropractor,ChristianSciencepractitioner,coroner,
2019 7dentist,embalmer,employeeofthedepartmentsofsocialservices,mentalhealth,orhealth
2120 8andseniorservices,employeeofalocalareaagencyonagingoranorganizedareaagencyon
2221 9agingprogram,emergencymedicaltechnician,firefighter,firstresponder,funeraldirector,
2322 10homehealthagency,homehealthagencyemployee,hospitalandclinicpersonnelengagedin
2423 11thecareortreatmentofothers,in-homeservicesownerorprovider,in-homeservicesoperator
2524 12oremployee,lawenforcementofficer,long-termcarefacilityadministratororemployee,
2625 13medicalexaminer,medicalresidentorintern,mentalhealthprofessional,minister,nurse,
2726 14nursepractitioner,optometrist,otherhealthpractitioner,peaceofficer,pharmacist,physical
2827 15therapist,physician,physician'sassistant,podiatrist,probationorparoleofficer,psychologist,
28+16socialworker,animalcontrolofficer,animalhumaneinvestigatorasdefinedinsection
2929 EXPLANATION—Matterenclosedinbold-facedbrackets[thus] intheabovebillisnotenactedandis
30-intendedtobeomittedfromthelaw.Matterinbold-facetypeintheabovebillisproposedlanguage. 16socialworker,animalcontrolofficer,animalhumaneinvestigatorasdefinedinsection
31-17273.415,orotherpersonwiththeresponsibilityforthecareofaneligibleadultwhohas
30+intendedtobeomittedfromthelaw.Matterinbold-facetypeintheabovebillisproposedlanguage. 17273.415,orotherpersonwiththeresponsibilityforthecareofaneligibleadultwhohas
3231 18reasonablecausetosuspectthattheeligibleadulthasbeensubjectedtoabuseorneglector
3332 19observestheeligibleadultbeingsubjectedtoconditionsorcircumstanceswhichwould
3433 20reasonablyresultinabuseorneglect.Notwithstandinganyotherprovisionofthissection,a
3534 21dulyordainedminister,clergy,religiousworker,orChristianSciencepractitionerwhile
3635 22functioninginhisorherministerialcapacityshallnotberequiredtoreportconcerninga
3736 23privilegedcommunicationmadetohimorherinhisorherprofessionalcapacity.
3837 24 2.Anyotherpersonwhobecomesawareofcircumstancesthatmayreasonablybe
3938 25expectedtobetheresultof,orresultin,abuseorneglectofaneligibleadultmayreporttothe
4039 26department.
4140 27 3.Thepenaltyforfailingtoreportasrequiredundersubdivision(2)ofsubsection1
4241 28ofthissectionisprovidedundersection565.188.
4342 29 4.Asusedinthissection,"firstresponder"meansanypersontrainedandauthorized
4443 30bylaworruletorenderemergencymedicalassistanceortreatment.Suchpersonsmay
4544 31include,butshallnotbelimitedto,emergencyfirstresponders,policeofficers,sheriffs,
4645 32deputysheriffs,firefighters,oremergencymedicaltechnicians.
4746 192.2510.1.Allpersonsprovidingprotectiveservicestoeligibleadults,assuch
4847 2termsaredefinedinsection192.2400,andwhohavedirectcontactwithsuchadults,
4948 3shallberequiredtocompleteatleastonehouroftrainingwithinthefirstsixtydaysof
5049 4employment.Thetrainingshallincludethefollowing:
5150 5 (1)Requirementstoreportanimalabuseorneglectandthepenaltiesassociated
5251 6withfailuretoreportundersection273.410;
5352 7 (2)Howtoidentifyanimalabuseorneglect;
5453 8 (3)Howtomakeareportofanimalabuseorneglect;and
5554 9 (4)Therelationshipbetweeneligibleadultabuseorneglectandanimalabuseor
5655 10neglect.
5756 11 2.Thedepartmentofhealthandseniorservices,inconsultationwithanimal
5857 12welfareassociations,shalldeveloporadaptanduseavailabletrainingmaterialsforthe
5958 13trainingrequiredunderthissection.Personsrequiredtocompletetrainingunderthis
6059 14sectionshallbeprovidedwithopportunitiestodosoduringregularworkinghours.
6160 15 3.Asusedinthissection,thefollowingtermsshallmean:
6261 16 (1)"Animal",thesamemeaningasinsection578.029;
6362 17 (2)"Animalwelfareassociation",anonprofitorganizationthatisestablishedto
6463 18promoteanimalwelfare,isrecognizedbytheInternalRevenueServiceastaxexempt
6564 19undertheprovisionsoftheInternalRevenueCodeSection501(c)(3)or501(c)(4),orthe
66-HB1298 2 20correspondingsectionofanyfuturetaxcode,andisregisteredwiththesecretaryofstate
65+20correspondingsectionofanyfuturetaxcode,andisregisteredwiththesecretaryofstate
6766 21underchapter355.
68-210.115.1.Whenanyphysician,medicalexaminer,coroner,dentist,chiropractor,
67+HB1298 2 210.115.1.Whenanyphysician,medicalexaminer,coroner,dentist,chiropractor,
6968 2optometrist,podiatrist,resident,intern,nurse,hospitalorclinicpersonnelthatareengagedin
7069 3theexamination,care,treatmentorresearchofpersons,andanyotherhealthpractitioner,
7170 4psychologist,mentalhealthprofessional,socialworker,daycarecenterworkerorotherchild-
7271 5careworker,juvenileofficer,probationorparoleofficer,jailordetentioncenterpersonnel,
7372 6teacher,principalorotherschoolofficial,ministerasprovidedbysection352.400,peace
7473 7officerorlawenforcementofficial,animalcontrolofficer,animalhumaneinvestigatoras
7574 8definedinsection273.415,volunteerorpersonnelofacommunityserviceprogramthat
7675 9offerssupportservicesforfamiliesincrisistoassistinthedelegationofanypowersregarding
7776 10thecareandcustodyofachildbyaproperlyexecutedpowerofattorneypursuanttosections
7877 11475.600to475.604,orotherpersonwithresponsibilityforthecareofchildrenhasreasonable
7978 12causetosuspectthatachildhasbeenormaybesubjectedtoabuseorneglectorobservesa
8079 13childbeingsubjectedtoconditionsorcircumstanceswhichwouldreasonablyresultinabuse
8180 14orneglect,thatpersonshallimmediatelyreporttothedivisioninaccordancewiththe
8281 15provisionsofsections210.109to210.183.Nointernalinvestigationshallbeinitiateduntil
8382 16suchareporthasbeenmade.Asusedinthissection,theterm"abuse"isnotlimitedtoabuse
8483 17inflictedbyapersonresponsibleforthechild'scare,custodyandcontrolasspecifiedin
8584 18section210.110,butshallalsoincludeabuseinflictedbyanyotherperson.
8685 19 2.Iftwoormoremembersofamedicalinstitutionwhoarerequiredtoreportjointly
8786 20haveknowledgeofaknownorsuspectedinstanceofchildabuseorneglect,asinglereport
8887 21maybemadebyadesignatedmemberofthatmedicalteam.Anymemberwhohas
8988 22knowledgethatthememberdesignatedtoreporthasfailedtodososhallthereafter
9089 23immediatelymakethereport.Nothinginthissection,however,ismeanttoprecludeany
9190 24personfromreportingabuseorneglect.
9291 25 3.Thereportingrequirementsunderthissectionareindividual,andnosupervisoror
9392 26administratormayimpedeorinhibitanyreportingunderthissection.Nopersonmakinga
9493 27reportunderthissectionshallbesubjecttoanysanction,includinganyadverseemployment
9594 28action,formakingsuchreport.Everyemployershallensurethatanyemployeerequiredto
9695 29reportpursuanttosubsection1ofthissectionhasimmediateandunrestrictedaccessto
9796 30communicationstechnologynecessarytomakeanimmediatereportandistemporarily
9897 31relievedofotherworkdutiesforsuchtimeasisrequiredtomakeanyreportrequiredunder
9998 32subsection1ofthissection.
10099 33 4.Notwithstandinganyotherprovisionofsections210.109to210.183,anychildwho
101100 34doesnotreceivespecifiedmedicaltreatmentbyreasonofthelegitimatepracticeofthe
102101 35religiousbeliefofthechild'sparents,guardian,orotherslegallyresponsibleforthechild,for
103-HB1298 3 36thatreasonalone,shallnotbefoundtobeanabusedorneglectedchild,andsuchparents,
102+36thatreasonalone,shallnotbefoundtobeanabusedorneglectedchild,andsuchparents,
104103 37guardianorotherpersonslegallyresponsibleforthechildshallnotbeenteredintothecentral
105-38registry.However,thedivisionmayacceptreportsconcerningsuchachildandmay
104+HB1298 3 38registry.However,thedivisionmayacceptreportsconcerningsuchachildandmay
106105 39subsequentlyinvestigateorconductafamilyassessmentasaresultofthatreport.Suchan
107106 40exceptionshallnotlimittheadministrativeorjudicialauthorityofthestatetoensurethat
108107 41medicalservicesareprovidedtothechildwhenthechild'shealthrequiresit.
109108 42 5.Inadditiontothosepersonsandofficialsrequiredtoreportactualorsuspected
110109 43abuseorneglect,anyotherpersonmayreportinaccordancewithsections210.109to210.183
111110 44ifsuchpersonhasreasonablecausetosuspectthatachildhasbeenormaybesubjectedto
112111 45abuseorneglectorobservesachildbeingsubjectedtoconditionsorcircumstanceswhich
113112 46wouldreasonablyresultinabuseorneglect.
114113 47 6.Anypersonorofficialrequiredtoreportpursuanttothissection,including
115114 48employeesofthedivision,whohasprobablecausetosuspectthatachildwhoisormaybe
116115 49undertheageofeighteen,whoiseligibletoreceiveacertificateoflivebirth,hasdiedshall
117116 50reportthatfacttotheappropriatemedicalexaminerorcoroner.If,uponreviewofthe
118117 51circumstancesandmedicalinformation,themedicalexaminerorcoronerdeterminesthatthe
119118 52childdiedofnaturalcauseswhileundermedicalcareforanestablishednaturaldisease,the
120119 53coroner,medicalexaminerorphysicianshallnotifythedivisionofthechild'sdeathandthat
121120 54thechild'sattendingphysicianshallbesigningthedeathcertificate.Inallothercases,the
122121 55medicalexaminerorcoronershallacceptthereportforinvestigation,shallimmediatelynotify
123122 56thedivisionofthechild'sdeathasrequiredinsection58.452andshallreportthefindingsto
124123 57thechildfatalityreviewpanelestablishedpursuanttosection210.192.
125124 58 7.Anypersonorindividualrequiredtoreportmayalsoreportthesuspicionofabuse
126125 59orneglecttoanylawenforcementagencyorjuvenileoffice.Suchreportshallnot,however,
127126 60taketheplaceofreportingtothedivision.
128127 61 8.Ifanindividualrequiredtoreportsuspectedinstancesofabuseorneglectpursuant
129128 62tothissectionhasreasontobelievethatthevictimofsuchabuseorneglectisaresidentof
130129 63anotherstateorwasinjuredasaresultofanactwhichoccurredinanotherstate,theperson
131130 64requiredtoreportsuchabuseorneglectmay,inlieuofreportingtotheMissourichildren's
132131 65division,makesuchareporttothechildprotectionagencyoftheotherstatewiththeauthority
133132 66toreceivesuchreportspursuanttothelawsofsuchotherstate.Ifsuchagencyacceptsthe
134133 67report,noreportisrequiredtobemade,butmaybemade,tothechildren'sdivision.
135134 68 9.Forthepurposesofprovidingsupportiveservicesorverifyingthestatusofayouth
136135 69asunaccompaniedorhomelessforthepurposesofaccessingsupportiveservices,thefactthat
137136 70achildisanunaccompaniedyouthasdefinedin42U.S.C.Section11434a(6)isnot,inandof
138137 71itself,asufficientbasisforreportingchildabuseorneglect,unlessthechildisundersixteen
139138 72yearsofageorisanincapacitatedperson,asdefinedinsection475.010.Nothinginthis
140-HB1298 4 73subsectionshalllimitamandatedreporterfrommakingareportunderthissectionifthe
141-74mandatedreporterknowsorhasreasonablecausetosuspectthatanunaccompaniedyouthhas
139+73subsectionshalllimitamandatedreporterfrommakingareportunderthissectionifthe
140+HB1298 4 74mandatedreporterknowsorhasreasonablecausetosuspectthatanunaccompaniedyouthhas
142141 75beenormaybeavictimofabuseorneglect.
143142 210.191.1.Allchildren'sdivisionemployees,andcontractorsforchildren's
144143 2services,whohavedirectcontactwithchildrenthroughthestate'schildprotectionand
145144 3welfaresystemshallberequiredtocompleteatleastonehouroftrainingwithinthefirst
146145 4sixtydaysofemploymentorcontract.Thetrainingshallincludethefollowing:
147146 5 (1)Requirementstoreportanimalabuseorneglectandthepenaltiesassociated
148147 6withfailuretoreportundersection273.410;
149148 7 (2)Howtoidentifyanimalabuseorneglect;
150149 8 (3)Howtomakeareportofanimalabuseorneglect;and
151150 9 (4)Therelationshipbetweenchildabuseorneglectandanimalabuseorneglect.
152151 10 2.Thedivision,inconsultationwithanimalwelfareassociations,shalldevelopor
153152 11adaptanduseavailabletrainingmaterialsforthetrainingrequiredunderthissection.
154153 12Personsrequiredtocompletetrainingunderthissectionshallbeprovidedwith
155154 13opportunitiestodosoduringregularworkinghours.
156155 14 3.Asusedinthissection,thefollowingtermsshallmean:
157156 15 (1)"Animal",thesamemeaningasinsection578.029;
158157 16 (2)"Animalwelfareassociation",thesamemeaningasinsection192.2510.
159158 273.410.1.Whenanypsychologist,mentalhealthprofessional,socialworker,
160159 2schoolcounselor,teacher,orotherschoolprofessional,orjuvenileofficer,law
161160 3enforcementorpeaceofficer,probationorparoleofficer,homehealthaide,adultor
162161 4childprotectiveservicesworker,orvolunteerorpersonnelofacommunityservice
163162 5programthatofferssupportoradvocacyservicesforchildreninfostercarehas
164163 6reasonablecausetosuspectthatananimalhasbeenormaybesubjectedtoabuseor
165164 7neglectorobservesananimalbeingsubjectedtoconditionsorcircumstancesthatwould
166165 8reasonablyresultinabuseorneglect,thatpersonshallmakeareporttothehotline
167166 9establishedandoperatedbytheMissouriAnimalControlAssociation(MACA)within
168167 10oneday.
169168 11 2.Thehotlineworkershallrequestallofthefollowinginformationforthe
170169 12report:
171170 13 (1)Thenameanddescriptionoftheanimalinvolved,ifknown;
172171 14 (2)Theaddressandtelephonenumberoftheownerorotherpersonresponsible
173172 15forthecareoftheanimal,ifknown;
174173 16 (3)Thenatureandextentofthesuspectedabuseorneglect;and
175-HB1298 5 17 (4)Anyotherinformationthatthepersonmakingthereportbelievesmaybe
174+17 (4)Anyotherinformationthatthepersonmakingthereportbelievesmaybe
176175 18usefulinestablishingtheexistenceofthesuspectedabuseorneglectortheidentityofthe
177176 19personcausingtheabuseorneglect.
178-20 3.Uponreceivingareportofsuspectedabuseorneglect,MACAshallprovide
177+HB1298 5 20 3.Uponreceivingareportofsuspectedabuseorneglect,MACAshallprovide
179178 21thereporttoanyduly-authorizedlawenforcementofficial,countyormunicipalanimal
180179 22controlofficer,oranyMissouripeaceofficerstandardsandtraining(POST)-certifiedor
181180 23MACA-certifiedanimalcrueltyinvestigator.
182181 24 4.Anypersonrequiredtoreportanimalabuseorneglectunderthissectionshall
183182 25beimmunefromcivilandcriminalliabilityinconnectionwithmakinganyrequired
184183 26reportsifthepersonactedingoodfaithwhenmakingsuchreport.
185184 27 5.Notwithstandinganyprovisionoflawtothecontrary,anyinformation
186185 28identifyingapersonwhoreportssuspectedanimalabuseorneglectunderthissection
187186 29shallbeconfidentialandshallnotbedeemedapublicrecordandshallnotbesubjectto
188187 30theprovisionsofsection109.180orchapter610.
189188 31 6.Nopersonrequiredtomakeareportofanimalabuseorneglectunderthis
190189 32sectionshallknowinglymakeafalsereport.Thepenaltyformakingafalsereportand
191190 33thedefensestoprosecutionshallbethesameasundersection575.080.
192191 34 7.Ifanagencyorpoliticalsubdivisionofthestatedeterminesthatanemployee
193192 35whoisamandatedreporterunderthissectionhasfailedtomakeareportasrequiredby
194193 36thissection,theagencyorpoliticalsubdivisionshallissueawrittennoticetosuch
195194 37employeethatshallincludeafindingoffactsinsupportofthefailuretomakeareport
196195 38andanexplanationofthereportingrequirement.Suchnoticeshallnotberetainedina
197196 39permanentemploymentfileandshallberetainedinaseparatefileordatabase
198197 40maintainedbytheagencyorpoliticalsubdivision.Suchnoticeshallbeconsidereda
199198 41closedrecordundertheprovisionsofchapter610.
200199 42 8.Anypersonrequiredtomakeareportunderthissectionwhoissubjectto
201200 43professionallicensureandwhofailstomakeareportasrequiredbythissectionshallbe
202201 44subjecttodisciplinebyhisorherrespectivelicensingboardasfollows:
203202 45 (1)Forthefirstinstanceofafailuretoreport,thelicensingboardshallissuea
204203 46writtennoticetosuchemployeethatshallincludeafindingoffactsinsupportofthe
205204 47failuretomakeareportandanexplanationofthereportingrequirement;
206205 48 (2)Forasecondinstanceofafailuretoreport,thelicensingboardshallimposea
207206 49fineofonehundreddollars;
208207 50 (3)Forathirdandeachsubsequentinstanceofafailuretoreport,thelicensing
209208 51boardshallimposeafineoffivehundreddollars.
210209 52 9.Asusedinthissection,theterm"animal"shallhavethesamemeaningasin
211210 53section578.029.
212-HB1298 6 273.415.1.Allpersonsemployedorservingasanimalcontrolofficersoranimal
211+273.415.1.Allpersonsemployedorservingasanimalcontrolofficersoranimal
213212 2humaneinvestigatorswhohavedirectcontactwithanimalsshallberequiredto
214-3completeatleastonehouroftrainingwithinthefirstsixtydaysofemployment.The
213+HB1298 6 3completeatleastonehouroftrainingwithinthefirstsixtydaysofemployment.The
215214 4trainingshallincludethefollowing:
216215 5 (1)Requirementstoreportchildabuseorneglectundersection210.115or
217216 6eligiblepersonabuseorneglectundersection192.2405andthepenaltiesassociatedwith
218217 7failuretoreportsuchabuseorneglect;
219218 8 (2)Howtoidentifychildoreligiblepersonabuseorneglect;
220219 9 (3)Howtomakeareportofchildoreligiblepersonabuseorneglect;and
221220 10 (4)Therelationshipbetweenchild,eligibleadult,andanimalabuseorneglect.
222221 11 2.Thechildren'sdivisionandthedepartmentofhealthandseniorservices,in
223222 12consultationwithanimalwelfareassociations,shalldeveloporadaptanduseavailable
224223 13trainingmaterialsforthetrainingrequiredunderthissection.Personsrequiredto
225224 14completetrainingunderthissectionshallbeprovidedwithopportunitiestodosoduring
226225 15regularworkinghours.
227226 16 3.Asusedinthissection,thefollowingtermsshallmean:
228227 17 (1)"Animal",thesamemeaningasinsection578.029;
229228 18 (2)"Animalhumaneinvestigator",aduly-authorizedcountyormunicipal
230229 19animalcontrolofficeroranyMissouripeaceofficerstandardsandtraining(POST)-
231230 20certifiedorMissouriAnimalControlAssociation(MACA)-certifiedanimalcruelty
232231 21investigator;
233232 22 (3)"Animalwelfareassociation",thesamemeaningasinsection192.2510.
234233 âś”
235234 HB1298 7