The bill amends chapter 324 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri by adding a new section, 324.1175, which establishes provisions for the issuance of professional licenses to recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. It defines key terms such as "DACA recipient," "license," and "oversight body." The bill stipulates that DACA recipients who meet the educational and professional requirements for a licensed occupation will be eligible for licensure on the same basis as U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents. Furthermore, all oversight bodies are required to evaluate license applications from DACA recipients without regard to their citizenship or immigration status. Additionally, the bill mandates that license applications from DACA recipients be assessed solely on qualifications, education, and professional competency, without imposing any extra requirements beyond those applicable to U.S. citizens or legal residents. Licenses granted under this section will have the same rights and responsibilities as those issued to other licensees and will be renewable as long as the licensee maintains valid work authorization. The provisions of this section will apply to all license applications submitted on or after August 28, 2026, and the Department of Commerce and Insurance will be responsible for promulgating rules to implement these provisions.

Statutes affected:
Introduced (4815H.01): 324.1175