SB1776 • 2026

Modifies provisions relating to spontaneous fetal death reports

Healthcare

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Coleman, Mary Elizabeth; House handler: N/A
Last action: 2026-05-07
Official status: Second Read and Referred S Families, Seniors and Health Committee
Effective date: 2026-08-28

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Modifies provisions relating to spontaneous fetal death reports

The following summaries of this bill are available: Print All Summaries Introduced Print SB 1776 - Under this act, when a spontaneous fetal death of twenty or more completed weeks gestation occurs without medical attendance at or immediately after delivery and when a licensed treating physician has previously determined the nonviability of the pregnancy, the physician's written determination shall serve as sufficient evidence for purposes of filing a spontaneous fetal death report and the treating physician shall file the report within seven days of receiving notice of the spontaneous fetal death.

What This Bill Does

The following summaries of this bill are available: Print All Summaries Introduced Print SB 1776 - Under this act, when a spontaneous fetal death of twenty or more completed weeks gestation occurs without medical attendance at or immediately after delivery and when a licensed treating physician has previously determined the nonviability of the pregnancy, the physician's written determination shall serve as sufficient evidence for purposes of filing a spontaneous fetal death report and the treating physician shall file the report within seven days of receiving notice of the spontaneous fetal death.
SARAH HASKINS

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

2026-05-07 S1608
Second Read and Referred S Families, Seniors and Health Committee
2026-02-26 S484
S First Read

Official Summary Text

The following summaries of this bill are available:

Print All Summaries

Introduced

Print

SB 1776 - Under this act, when a spontaneous fetal death of twenty or more completed weeks gestation occurs without medical attendance at or immediately after delivery and when a licensed treating physician has previously determined the nonviability of the pregnancy, the physician's written determination shall serve as sufficient evidence for purposes of filing a spontaneous fetal death report and the treating physician shall file the report within seven days of receiving notice of the spontaneous fetal death.
SARAH HASKINS

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SECOND REGULAR SESSION
SENATE BILL NO. 1776
103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR COLEMAN.
6977S.01I KRISTINA MARTIN, Secretary
AN ACT
To repeal section 193.165, RSMo, and to enact in lieu thereof one new section relating to
spontaneous fetal death reports.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Section 193.165, RSMo, is repealed and one new 1
section enacted in lieu thereof, to be known as section 193.165, 2
to read as follows:3
193.165. 1. Each spontaneous fetal death of twenty 1
completed weeks gestation or more, calculated from the date 2
the last normal menstrual period began to the date of 3
delivery, or a weight of three hundred fifty grams or more, 4
which occurs in this state shall be reported within seven 5
days after delivery to the local registrar or as otherwise 6
directed by the state registrar. 7
2. When a dead fetus is delivered in an institution, 8
the person in charge of the institution or his or her 9
designated representative shall prepare and file the report. 10
3. When a dead fetus is delivered outside an 11
institution, the physician in attendance at or immediately 12
after delivery shall prepare and file the report. 13
4. When a spontaneous fetal death required to be 14
reported by this section occurs without medical attendance 15
at or immediately after the delivery or when inquiry is 16
required by the medical examiner or coroner, the medical 17
SB 1776 2
examiner or coroner shall investigate the cause of 18
spontaneous fetal death and shall prepare and file the 19
report within seven days; provided, that when a licensed 20
treating physician has determined, in writing, the 21
nonviability of the pregnancy preceding the spontaneous 22
fetal death, such written determination shall serve as 23
sufficient evidence for purposes of this section and the 24
treating physician shall prepare and file the report within 25
seven days of receiving notice of the spontaneous fetal 26
death. 27
5. When a spontaneous fetal death occurs in a moving 28
conveyance and the fetus is first removed from the 29
conveyance in this state or when a dead fetus is found in 30
this state and the place of the spontaneous fetal death is 31
unknown, the spontaneous fetal death shall be reported in 32
this state. The place where the fetus was first removed 33
from the conveyance or the dead fetus was found shall be 34
considered the place of the spontaneous fetal death. 35
6. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the 36
contrary, individuals with direct and tangible interest, as 37
defined by the department of health and senior services, may 38
receive the spontaneous fetal death report. 39
7. In the event of a spontaneous fetal death, 40
regardless of whether such death occurs before or after 41
August 28, 2004, either parent, or if both parents are 42
deceased, a sibling of the stillborn child, shall have the 43
right to file an application with the state registrar and 44
other custodians of vital records requesting a certificate 45
of birth resulting in stillbirth. The certificate shall be 46
based upon the information available from the spontaneous 47
fetal death report filed pursuant to this section. 48
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