Modifies provisions relating to professional licensing

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SS/SB 1083 - This act modifies provisions relating to professional licensing.

INTERIOR DESIGNERS (SECTIONS 324.001 TO 327.750. 537.033 & 621.045 & THE REPEAL OF SECTIONS 324.406 TO 324.436)
This act modifies the registration of interior designers from the Division of Professional Registration with advice and recommendations by the Interior Design Council to the licensing of interior designers from the Missouri Board for Architects, Professional Engineers, Professional Land Surveyors, Professional Landscape Architects, and Licensed Interior Designers ("Board"). The Board shall increase from fifteen members to seventeen members with the two new members being licensed interior designers.

The Interior Design Council and the Interior Design Council Fund shall be abolished upon the appointment by the Governor and confirmation by the Senate of the licensed interior designer members of the Board. The rules of the Interior Design Council shall be deemed adopted by the Board until revised, amended, or repealed, of which such action shall be taken on or before January 1, 2027. The funds in the Interior Design Council Fund shall be transferred to the State Board of Architects, Professional Engineers, Professional Land Surveyors, Professional Landscape Architects, and Licensed Interior Designers Fund.

Additionally, this act defines the practice of licensed interior design and provides that a licensed interior designer shall undertake to perform licensed interior design services only when he or she is qualified by education, training, and experience in the specific technical areas involved. Furthermore, licensed interior designers shall be in responsible charge of interior design technical submissions that can affect the health, safety, and welfare of the public within their scope of practice. Licensed interior designers shall not take responsible charge over interior technical submissions prepared by another person unless the licensed interior designer actually exercises personal supervision and direct control over such interior technical submissions.

This act modifies the educational and training requirements for licensed interior designers by repealing the qualification of at least three years of an interior design curriculum from an accredited institution with three years of experience. Additionally, an applicant shall be exempt from providing substantial evidence of certain educational and training qualifications if his or her curriculum or transcript has been approved by the Board.

Nothing in this act shall be construed as precluding an architect from performing any of the services within the practice of licensed interior design.

Current law provides that a renewal or reinstatement application for registration as an interior designer shall be accompanied by proof of completion of continuing education in the fields of either interior design or architecture. This act repeals such provision and provides that the Board shall establish the continuing education requirements for interior designers which shall be substantially equivalent to the continuing education requirements for architects.

Finally, this act includes licensed interior designers in the definition of "design professional" for immunity from civil liability for participation in a peer review process.

This act contains a delayed effective date for the repeal of the Interior Design Council and the Interior Design Fund, which shall become effective upon notification to the Revisor of the appointment of the interior designer members of the Board by the Director of the Division of Professional Regulation.

These provisions are identical to provisions in the perfected SS/SB 895 (2026) and SS/SCS/SB 991 (2026) and are similar to provisions in HCS/SS#2/SB 1233 (2025), HB 2353 (2026), SB 287 (2025), HB 566 (2025), SB 1325 (2024), and HB 2158 (2024).

PHYSICIAN LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS (SECTION 334.031)
This act requires a candidate applying for licensure as a physician to submit to a criminal background check and furnish certain educational and experience documents. This act also allows the Board of Registration for the Healing Arts to require applicants to list all licenses to practice as a physician currently or previously held in another state, territory, or country and to disclose any past or pending investigations, discipline, or sanctions for such licenses. The Board may also obtain a report on the applicant from the National Practitioner Data Bank or the Federation of State Medical Boards.

This provision is identical to provisions in the perfected SS/SB 895 (2026) and SCS/SB 1423 (2026) and HB 2976 (2026), is substantially similar to provisions in SCS/SB 292 (2025), and is similar to provisions in SB 1030 (2024), SB 1251 (2024), HB 2349 (2024), HB 2753 (2025), HB 1279 (2023), SB 511 (2023), and SB 538 (2021).

RESPIRATORY CARE LICENSES (SECTIONS 334.870 & 334.880)
Currently, an applicant for a respiratory care license is required to submit written evidence of credentials from the cognitive competency testing organization authorized by the Missouri Board for Respiratory Care or current licensure or registration as a respiratory care practitioner in another jurisdiction that meets or exceeds Missouri licensure standards. This act instead provides that the applicant shall submit:
(1) An active credential as a registered respiratory therapist through the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC);
(2) Current licensure or registration with an active credential as a respiratory care practitioner in another jurisdiction that meets or exceeds Missouri licensure standards; or
(3) An active credential as a certified respiratory therapist earned prior to January 1, 2027, through the NBRC.

Additionally, this act provides that license renewals shall be subject to random audits to ensure the licensee has an active credential through the NBRC.

LENGTH OF SUPERVISION FOR SOCIAL WORK (SECTION 337.600)
This act modifies the definitions of a "qualified advanced macro supervisor," "qualified baccalaureate supervisor," and "qualified clinical supervisor" to provide that such person is a licensed social worker who has practiced social work for which he or she is supervising the applicant for a minimum of three, instead of five, years.

This provision is identical to a provision in the perfected SS/SB 895 (2026), SB 1092 (2026), SB 1417 (2026), HB 1963 (2026), SB 479 (2025), and SB 563 (2025) and is substantially similar to HB 886 (2025).

CLINICAL FELLOWSHIPS FOR SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS & AUDIOLOGISTS (SECTION 345.050)
This act modifies the requirements for licensure as a speech pathologist or audiologist by providing for completion of a clinical fellowship under the direct supervision of a licensed speech-language pathologist in good standing, rather than under the direct supervision of a person licensed by the state of Missouri in the profession in which the applicant seeks to be licensed.

This provision is identical to a provision in the perfected SS/SB 895 (2026), SB 1405 (2026), a provision in HCS/HB 2372 (2026), in HCS/SS/SB 7 (2025), in the perfected SS/SB 61 (2025), in the perfected HCS/HB 268 (2025), SB 431 (2025), in the perfected HB 478 (2025), in HB 765 (2025), and in SCS/HB 834 (2025), and is substantially similar to the perfected HB 2591 (2026).

SEVERABILITY (SECTION B)
In the event that any section, provision, clause, phrase, or word of this act or the application of the act is declared invalid under the Constitution of the United States or the Constitution of the State of Missouri, the General Assembly intends for the severability of this act.
KATIE O'BRIEN

Senate Substitute

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SS/SB 1083 - This act modifies provisions relating to professional licensing.

INTERIOR DESIGNERS (SECTIONS 324.001 TO 327.750. 537.033 & 621.045 & THE REPEAL OF SECTIONS 324.406 TO 324.436)
This act modifies the registration of interior designers from the Division of Professional Registration with advice and recommendations by the Interior Design Council to the licensing of interior designers from the Missouri Board for Architects, Professional Engineers, Professional Land Surveyors, Professional Landscape Architects, and Licensed Interior Designers ("Board"). The Board shall increase from fifteen members to seventeen members with the two new members being licensed interior designers.

The Interior Design Council and the Interior Design Council Fund shall be abolished upon the appointment by the Governor and confirmation by the Senate of the licensed interior designer members of the Board. The rules of the Interior Design Council shall be deemed adopted by the Board until revised, amended, or repealed, of which such action shall be taken on or before January 1, 2027. The funds in the Interior Design Council Fund shall be transferred to the State Board of Architects, Professional Engineers, Professional Land Surveyors, Professional Landscape Architects, and Licensed Interior Designers Fund.

Additionally, this act defines the practice of licensed interior design and provides that a licensed interior designer shall undertake to perform licensed interior design services only when he or she is qualified by education, training, and experience in the specific technical areas involved. Furthermore, licensed interior designers shall be in responsible charge of interior design technical submissions that can affect the health, safety, and welfare of the public within their scope of practice. Licensed interior designers shall not take responsible charge over interior technical submissions prepared by another person unless the licensed interior designer actually exercises personal supervision and direct control over such interior technical submissions.

This act modifies the educational and training requirements for licensed interior designers by repealing the qualification of at least three years of an interior design curriculum from an accredited institution with three years of experience. Additionally, an applicant shall be exempt from providing substantial evidence of certain educational and training qualifications if his or her curriculum or transcript has been approved by the Board.

Nothing in this act shall be construed as precluding an architect from performing any of the services within the practice of licensed interior design.

Current law provides that a renewal or reinstatement application for registration as an interior designer shall be accompanied by proof of completion of continuing education in the fields of either interior design or architecture. This act repeals such provision and provides that the Board shall establish the continuing education requirements for interior designers which shall be substantially equivalent to the continuing education requirements for architects.

Finally, this act includes licensed interior designers in the definition of "design professional" for immunity from civil liability for participation in a peer review process.

This act contains a delayed effective date for the repeal of the Interior Design Council and the Interior Design Fund, which shall become effective upon notification to the Revisor of the appointment of the interior designer members of the Board by the Director of the Division of Professional Regulation.

These provisions are identical to provisions in the perfected SS/SB 895 (2026) and SS/SCS/SB 991 (2026) and are similar to provisions in HCS/SS#2/SB 1233 (2025), HB 2353 (2026), SB 287 (2025), HB 566 (2025), SB 1325 (2024), and HB 2158 (2024).

PHYSICIAN LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS (SECTION 334.031)
This act requires a candidate applying for licensure as a physician to submit to a criminal background check and furnish certain educational and experience documents. This act also allows the Board of Registration for the Healing Arts to require applicants to list all licenses to practice as a physician currently or previously held in another state, territory, or country and to disclose any past or pending investigations, discipline, or sanctions for such licenses. The Board may also obtain a report on the applicant from the National Practitioner Data Bank or the Federation of State Medical Boards.

This provision is identical to provisions in the perfected SS/SB 895 (2026) and SCS/SB 1423 (2026) and HB 2976 (2026), is substantially similar to provisions in SCS/SB 292 (2025), and is similar to provisions in SB 1030 (2024), SB 1251 (2024), HB 2349 (2024), HB 2753 (2025), HB 1279 (2023), SB 511 (2023), and SB 538 (2021).

RESPIRATORY CARE LICENSES (SECTIONS 334.870 & 334.880)
Currently, an applicant for a respiratory care license is required to submit written evidence of credentials from the cognitive competency testing organization authorized by the Missouri Board for Respiratory Care or current licensure or registration as a respiratory care practitioner in another jurisdiction that meets or exceeds Missouri licensure standards. This act instead provides that the applicant shall submit:
(1) An active credential as a registered respiratory therapist through the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC);
(2) Current licensure or registration with an active credential as a respiratory care practitioner in another jurisdiction that meets or exceeds Missouri licensure standards; or
(3) An active credential as a certified respiratory therapist earned prior to January 1, 2027, through the NBRC.

Additionally, this act provides that license renewals shall be subject to random audits to ensure the licensee has an active credential through the NBRC.

LENGTH OF SUPERVISION FOR SOCIAL WORK (SECTION 337.600)
This act modifies the definitions of a "qualified advanced macro supervisor," "qualified baccalaureate supervisor," and "qualified clinical supervisor" to provide that such person is a licensed social worker who has practiced social work for which he or she is supervising the applicant for a minimum of three, instead of five, years.

This provision is identical to a provision in the perfected SS/SB 895 (2026), SB 1092 (2026), SB 1417 (2026), HB 1963 (2026), SB 479 (2025), and SB 563 (2025) and is substantially similar to HB 886 (2025).

CLINICAL FELLOWSHIPS FOR SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS & AUDIOLOGISTS (SECTION 345.050)
This act modifies the requirements for licensure as a speech pathologist or audiologist by providing for completion of a clinical fellowship under the direct supervision of a licensed speech-language pathologist in good standing, rather than under the direct supervision of a person licensed by the state of Missouri in the profession in which the applicant seeks to be licensed.

This provision is identical to a provision in the perfected SS/SB 895 (2026), SB 1405 (2026), a provision in HCS/HB 2372 (2026), in HCS/SS/SB 7 (2025), in the perfected SS/SB 61 (2025), in the perfected HCS/HB 268 (2025), SB 431 (2025), in the perfected HB 478 (2025), in HB 765 (2025), and in SCS/HB 834 (2025), and is substantially similar to the perfected HB 2591 (2026).

SEVERABILITY (SECTION B)
In the event that any section, provision, clause, phrase, or word of this act or the application of the act is declared invalid under the Constitution of the United States or the Constitution of the State of Missouri, the General Assembly intends for the severability of this act.
KATIE O'BRIEN

Introduced

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SB 1083 - Currently, an applicant for a respiratory care license is required to submit written evidence of credentials from the cognitive competency testing organization authorized by the Missouri Board for Respiratory Care or current licensure or registration as a respiratory care practitioner in another jurisdiction that meets or exceeds Missouri licensure standards. This act instead provides that the applicant shall submit:
(1) An active credential as a registered respiratory therapist through the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC);
(2) Current licensure or registration with an active credential as a respiratory care practitioner in another jurisdiction that meets or exceeds Missouri licensure standards; or
(3) An active credential as a certified respiratory therapist earned prior to January 1, 2027, through the NBRC.

Additionally, this act provides that license renewals shall be subject to random audits to ensure the licensee has an active credential through the NBRC.
KATIE O'BRIEN