SPONSOR: Grier
COMMITTEE ACTION: Voted "Do Pass with HCS" by the Standing Committee on Professional Registration and Licensing by a vote of 12 to 1. Voted "Do Pass" by the Standing Committee on Rules- Administrative Oversight by a vote of 6 to 2.
The following is a summary of the House Committee Substitute for HCS HB 2046.
This bill makes changes to the existing professional licensure reciprocity statute, through which a person can become licensed in Missouri if they are licensed in another state.
The following individuals are currently excluded in statute from the provisions of this section: those with a certificate of license to teach in public schools; and those licensed by the Board of Registration for the Healing Arts, the Board of Nursing, the Board of Pharmacy, the State Committee of Psychologists, the Dental Board, the Board for Architects, Professional Engineers, Professional Land Surveyors, and Professional Architects, the Board of Optometry, and the Veterinary Medical Board.
This bill removes these exclusions and requires that licensure by reciprocity for these professions be the same as any other licensed profession in this state.
Currently, only a resident of Missouri is eligible to apply for a license by reciprocity, the bill allows any person to apply if the; applicant for licensure by reciprocity has had a license for at least one year in another state, territory, or the District of Columbia. The applicant must be licensed at the same practice level in the other state.
The bill removes the requirement that the other jurisdiction that issued the applicant's license must have substantially similar or more stringent requirements than the licensure requirements in Missouri. Instead, the bill requires that the other jurisdiction must have minimum education requirements and, if applicable, work experience and clinical supervision requirements. If licensure in Missouri requires an examination on the law of Missouri before licensure, then an applicant can be required to take and pass an examination on the laws of Missouri before being granted a license by reciprocity.
The bill explicitly prevents licensure by reciprocity if an applicant has had his or her license revoked in another jurisdiction, is currently under investigation in another jurisdiction, or has a complaint pending in another jurisdiction, or if the applicant does not have a license in good standing in the other jurisdiction or has a criminal record that would disqualify the applicant in Missouri. If another jurisdiction has previously taken disciplinary action against an applicant, the applicant cannot be granted a license by reciprocity until the matter is resolved in the other jurisdiction.
This bill removes a provision that would allow an applicant to be denied a license if granting a license by reciprocity would endanger the public health, safety, or welfare.
Any person who is granted a license by reciprocity is subject to all applicable rules and regulations.
An applicant for licensure by reciprocity can still be required to submit fingerprints in order to access criminal records for purposes not relating to criminal justice.
The provisions of licensure by reciprocity do not apply to a profession that has a licensing compact with another state. A license issued by reciprocity is valid only in Missouri and does not make a licensee eligible to be part of an interstate compact. A person who is licensed in another state by an interstate compact is not eligible for licensure by reciprocity.
The following is a summary of the public testimony from the committee hearing. The testimony was based on the introduced version of the bill.
PROPONENTS: Supporters say that this bill will remove barriers to work and allow more employees to contribute to the Missouri economy. This bill will allow employees to more easily be licensed in our state and fill the shortage of jobs.
Testifying for the bill were Representative Grier; Missouri Century Foundation; Opportunity Solutions Project; St. Louis Regional Chamber; Patrick Ishmael , Show-Me Institute; John Menner, Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce; Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Americans for Prosperity; and the Women's Foundation of Greater Kansas City.
OPPONENTS: There was no opposition voiced to the committee.
OTHERS: Others testifying on the bill gave information on current professional registration licensure reciprocity procedures. Professional licensure requirements in the state are as strong as they reasonably could be, although Missouri may have prohibitions regarding licensure that other states do not have.
Testifying on the bill were Sarah Ledgerwood, Division of Professional Registration; and the Missouri Realtors.
Statutes affected: