SECOND REGULAR SESSION
93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE BEHNEN.
Read 1st time February 2, 2006 and copies ordered printed.
STEPHEN S. DAVIS, Chief Clerk
AN ACT
To repeal sections 41.950, 383.130, and 620.010, RSMo, and to enact in lieu thereof three new sections relating to licensing and registration of certain professionals.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Sections 41.950, 383.130, and 620.010, RSMo, are repealed and three new sections enacted in lieu thereof, to be known as sections 41.950, 383.130, and 620.010, to read as follows:
41.950. 1. Any resident of this state who is a member of the national guard or of any reserve component of the armed forces of the United States or who is a member of the United States Army, the United States Navy, the United States Air Force, the United States Marine Corps, the United States Coast Guard or an officer of the United States Public Health Service detailed by proper authority for duty with any branch of the United States armed forces described in this section and who is engaged in the performance of active duty in the military service of the United States in a military conflict in which reserve components have been called to active duty under the authority of 10 U.S.C. 672(d) or 10 U.S.C. 673b or any such subsequent call or order by the President or Congress for any period of thirty days or more shall be relieved from certain provisions of state law, as follows:
(1) No person performing such military service who owns a motor vehicle shall be required to maintain financial responsibility on such motor vehicle as required under section 303.025, RSMo, until such time as that person completes such military service, unless any person shall be operating such motor vehicle while the vehicle owner is performing such military service;
(2) No person failing to renew his driver's license while performing such military service shall be required to take a complete examination as required under section 302.173, RSMo, when renewing his license within sixty days after completing such military service;
(3) Any motor vehicle registration required under chapter 301, RSMo, that expires for any person performing such military service may be renewed by such person within sixty days of completing such military service without being required to pay a delinquent registration fee; however, such motor vehicle shall not be operated while the person is performing such military service unless the motor vehicle registration is renewed;
(4) Any person enrolled by the supreme court of Missouri or licensed, registered or certified under chapter 168, 256, 289, 317, 325, 326, 327, 328, 329, 330, 331, 332, 333, 334, 335, 336, 337, 338, 339, 340, 341, 342, 343, 344, 345, 346, 375, 640 or 644, RSMo, and interpreters licensed under sections 209.319 to 209.339, RSMo, whose license, registration or certification expires while performing such military service, may renew such license, registration or certification within sixty days of completing such military service without penalty;
(5) In the case of annual reports, franchise tax reports or other reports required to be filed with the office of secretary of state, where the filing of such report would be delayed because of a person performing such military service, such reports shall be filed without penalty within one hundred twenty days of the completion of such military service;
(6) No person performing such military service who is subject to a criminal summons for a traffic violation shall be subject to nonappearance sanctions for such violation until after one hundred eighty days after the completion of such military service;
(7) No person performing such military service who is required under state law to file financial disclosure reports shall be required to file such reports while performing such military service; however, such reports covering that period of time that such military service is performed shall be filed within one hundred eighty days after the completion of such military service;
(8) Any person with an indebtedness, liability or obligation for state income tax or property tax on personal or real property who is performing such military service or a spouse of such person filing a combined return or owning property jointly shall be granted an extension to file any papers or to pay any obligation until one hundred eighty days after the completion of such military service or continuous hospitalization as a result of such military service notwithstanding the provisions of section 143.991, RSMo, to the contrary and shall be allowed to pay such tax without penalty or interest if paid within the one-hundred-eighty-day period;
(9) Notwithstanding other provisions of the law to the contrary, for the purposes of this section, interest shall be allowed and paid on any overpayment of tax imposed by sections 143.011 to 143.998, RSMo, at the rate of six percent per annum from the original due date of the return or the date the tax was paid, whichever is later;
(10) No state agency, board, commission or administrative tribunal shall take any administrative action against any person performing such military service for that person's failure to take any required action or meet any required obligation not already provided for in subdivisions (1) to (8) of this subsection until one hundred eighty days after the completion of such military service, except that any agency, board, commission or administrative tribunal affected by this subdivision may, in its discretion, extend the time required to take such action or meet such obligation beyond the one-hundred-eighty-day period;
(11) Any disciplinary or administrative action or proceeding before any state agency, board, commission or administrative tribunal where the person performing such military service is a necessary party, which occurs during such period of military service, shall be stayed by the administrative entity before which it is pending until sixty days after the end of such military service.
2. Upon completing such military service, the person shall provide the appropriate agency, board, commission or administrative tribunal an official order from the appropriate military authority as evidence of such military service.
3. The provisions of this section shall apply to any individual defined in subsection 1 of this section who performs such military service on or after August 2, 1990.
383.130. As used in sections 383.130, 383.133 and 383.500, the following terms shall mean:
(1) "Disciplinary action", any final action taken by the board of trustees or similarly empowered officials of a hospital or ambulatory surgical center to reprimand, discipline or restrict the practice of a health care professional. If the health care professional is a physician or surgeon, only such reprimands, discipline, or restrictions in response to activities which are also grounds for disciplinary actions pursuant to section 334.100, RSMo, shall be considered disciplinary actions for the purposes of this definition. If the health care professional is a dentist, only such reprimands, discipline, or restrictions in response to activities which are also grounds for disciplinary actions pursuant to section 332.321, RSMo, shall be considered disciplinary actions for the purposes of this definition;
(2) "Health care professional", a physician or surgeon licensed under the provisions of chapter 334, RSMo, a dentist or dental hygienists licensed under the provisions of chapter 332, RSMo, [or] a podiatrist licensed under the provisions of chapter 330, RSMo, [or] a pharmacist licensed under the provisions of chapter 338, RSMo, a psychologist licensed under the provisions of chapter 337, RSMo, [or] a nurse licensed under the provisions of chapter 335, RSMo, an acupuncturist licensed under chapter 324, RSMo, an anesthesiologist licensed under chapter 324, RSMo, a chiropractor licensed under chapter 331, RSMo, a clinical perfusionist licensed under chapter 324, RSMo, a dietitian licensed under chapter 324, RSMo, hearing instrument specialists licensed under chapter 346, RSMo, an interpreter licensed under sections 209.319 to 209.339, RSMo, a marital and family therapist licensed under chapter 324, RSMo, a massage therapist licensed under chapter 324, RSMo, occupational therapists or occupational therapy assistant licensed under chapter 324, RSMo, an optometrist licensed under chapter 336, RSMo, physical therapists and physical therapist assistants licensed under chapter 334, RSMo, a physician assistant licensed under chapter 334, RSMo, a professional counselor licensed under chapter 337, RSMo, respiratory therapists licensed under chapter 334, RSMo, a social worker licensed under chapter 337, and speech-language pathologists licensed under chapter 345, RSMo, while acting within their scope of practice;
(3) "Hospital", a place devoted primarily to the maintenance and operation of facilities for the diagnosis, treatment or care for not less than twenty-four hours in any week of three or more nonrelated individuals suffering from illness, disease, injury, deformity or other abnormal physical conditions; or a place devoted primarily to provide for not less than twenty-four hours in any week medical or nursing care for three or more nonrelated individuals. The term "hospital" does not include convalescent, nursing, shelter or boarding homes as defined in chapter 198, RSMo;
(4) "Licensing authority", the appropriate board or authority which is responsible for the licensing or regulation of the health care professional.
620.010. 1. There is hereby created a "Department of Economic Development" to be headed by a director appointed by the governor, by and with the advice and consent of the senate. All of the general provisions, definitions and powers enumerated in section 1 of the Omnibus State Reorganization Act of 1974 shall continue to apply to this department and its divisions, agencies and personnel.
2. The office of director of the department of business and administration, chapter 35, RSMo, and others, is abolished and all powers, duties, personnel and property of that office, not previously reassigned by executive reorganization plan no. 1 of 1973 as submitted by the governor pursuant to chapter 26, RSMo, are transferred by type I transfer to the director of the department of economic development. The department of business and administration is hereby abolished.
3. The duties and responsibilities relating to subsection 2 of section 35.010, RSMo, are transferred by type I transfer to the personnel division, office of administration.
4. The powers, duties and functions vested in the public service commission, chapters 386, 387, 388, 389, 390, 392, and 393, RSMo, and others, and the administrative hearing commission, sections 621.015 to 621.198, RSMo, and others, are transferred by type III transfers, and the state banking board, chapter 361, RSMo, and others, and the savings and loan commission, chapter 369, RSMo, and others, are transferred by type II transfers to the department of economic development. The director of the department is directed to provide and coordinate staff and equipment services to these agencies in the interest of facilitating the work of the bodies and achieving optimum efficiency in staff services common to all the bodies. Nothing in the Reorganization Act of 1974 shall prevent the chairman of the public service commission from presenting additional budget requests or from explaining or clarifying its budget requests to the governor or general assembly.
5. The powers, duties and functions vested in the office of the public counsel are transferred by type III transfer to the department of economic development. Funding for the general counsel's office shall be by general revenue.
6. The public service commission is authorized to employ such staff as it deems necessary for the functions performed by the general counsel other than those powers, duties and functions relating to representation of the public before the public service commission.
7. There is hereby created a "Division of Credit Unions" in the department of economic development, to be headed by a director, nominated by the department director and appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate. All the powers, duties and functions vested in the state supervisor of credit unions in chapter 370, RSMo, and the powers and duties relating to credit unions vested in the commissioner of finance in chapter 370, RSMo, are transferred to the division of credit unions of the department of economic development, by a type II transfer, and the office of the state supervisor of credit unions is abolished. The salary of the director of the division of credit unions shall be set by the director of the department within the limits of the appropriations therefor. The director of the division shall assume all the duties and functions of the state supervisor of credit unions and the commissioner of finance only where the director has duties and responsibilities relating to credit unions as set out in chapter 370, RSMo.
8. The powers, duties and functions vested in the division of finance, chapters 361, 362, 364, 365, 367, and 408, RSMo, and others, are transferred by type II transfer to the department of economic development. There shall be a director of the division who shall be nominated by the department director and appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate.
9. All the powers, duties and functions vested in the director of the division of savings and loan supervision in chapter 369, RSMo, sections 443.700 to 443.712, RSMo, or by any other provision of law are transferred to the division of finance of the department of economic development by a type I transfer. The position of the director of the division of savings and loan supervision is hereby abolished. The director of the division of finance shall assume all the duties and functions of the director of the division of savings and loan supervision as provided in chapter 369, RSMo, sections 443.700 to 443.712, RSMo, and by any other provision of law. The division of savings and loan is hereby abolished. The powers of the savings and loan commission are hereby limited to hearing appeals from decisions of the director of the division of finance approving or denying applications to incorporate savings and loan associations or to establish branches of savings and loan associations and approving regulations pertaining to savings and loan associations. Any appeals shall be held in accordance with section 369.319, RSMo.
10. On and after August 28, 1990, the status of the division is modified under a specific type transfer pursuant to section 1 of the Omnibus Reorganization Act of 1974. The status of the division is modified from that of a division transferred to the department of economic development pursuant to a type II transfer, as provided for in this section, to that of an agency possessing the characteristics of a division transferred pursuant to a type III transfer; provided, however, that the division will remain within the department of economic development. The division of insurance shall be assigned to the department of economic development as a type III division, and the director of the department of economic development shall have no supervision, authority or control over the actions or decisions of the director of the division. All authority, records, property, personnel, powers, duties, functions, matter pending and all other pertinent vestiges pertaining thereto shall be retained by the division except as modified by this section. If the division of insurance becomes a department by operation of a constitutional amendment, the department of economic development shall continue until December 31, 1991, to provide at least the same assistance as was provided in previous fiscal years for personnel, data processing support and other benefits from appropriations.
11. All the powers, duties and functions of the commerce and industrial development division and the industrial development commission, chapters 184 and 255, RSMo, and others, not otherwise transferred, are transferred by type I transfer to the department of economic development, and the industrial development commission is abolished. All powers, duties and functions of the division of commerce and industrial development and the division of community development are transferred by a type I transfer to the department of economic development, and the division of commerce and industrial development and the division of community development are abolished.
12. All the powers, duties and functions vested in the tourism commission, chapter 258, RSMo, and others, are transferred to the "Division of Tourism", which is hereby created, by type III transfer.
13. All the powers, duties and functions of the department of community affairs, chapter 251, RSMo, and others, not otherwise assigned, are transferred by type I transfer to the department of economic development, and the department of community affairs is abolished. The director of the department of economic development may assume all the duties of the director of community affairs or may establish within the department such subunits and advisory committees as may be required to administer the programs so transferred. The director of the department shall appoint all members of such committees and heads of subunits.
14. (1) There is hereby established a "Division of Professional Registration" assigned to the department of economic development as a type III division, headed by a director appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate.
(2) The director of the division of professional registration shall promulgate rules and regulations which designate for each board or commission assigned to the division the renewal date for licenses or certificates. After the initial establishment of renewal dates, no director of the division shall promulgate a rule or regulation which would change the renewal date for licenses or certificates if such change in renewal date would occur prior to the date on which the renewal date in effect at the time such new renewal date is specified next occurs. Each board or commission shall by rule or regulation establish licensing periods of one, two, or three years. Registration fees set by a board or commission shall be effective for the entire licensing period involved, and shall not be increased during any current licensing period. Persons who are required to pay their first registration fees shall be allowed to pay the pro rata share of such fees for the remainder of the period remaining at the time the fees are paid. Each board or commission shall provide the necessary forms for initial registration, and thereafter the director may prescribe standard forms for renewal of licenses and certificates. Each board or commission shall by rule and regulation require each applicant to provide the information which is required to keep the board's records current. Each board or commission shall issue the original license or certificate.
(3) The division shall provide clerical and other staff services relating to the issuance and renewal of licenses for all the professional licensing and regulating boards and commissions assigned to the division. The division shall perform the financial management and clerical functions as they each relate to issuance and renewal of licenses and certificates. "Issuance and renewal of licenses and certificates" means the ministerial function of preparing and delivering licenses or certificates, and obtaining material and information for the board or commission in connection with the renewal thereof. It does not include any discretionary authority with regard to the original review of an applicant's qualifications for licensure or certification, or the subsequent review of licensee's or certificate holder's qualifications, or any disciplinary action contemplated against the licensee or certificate holder. The division may develop and implement microfilming systems and automated or manual management information systems.
(4) The director of the division shall establish a system of accounting and budgeting, in cooperation with the director of the department, the office of administration, and the state auditor's office, to ensure proper charges are made to the various boards for services rendered to them. The general assembly shall appropriate to the division and other state agencies from each board's funds, moneys sufficient to reimburse the division and other state agencies for all services rendered and all facilities and supplies furnished to that board.
(5) For accounting purposes, the appropriation to the division and to the office of administration for the payment of rent for quarters provided for the division shall be made from the "Professional Registration Fees Fund", which is hereby created, and is to be used solely for the purpose defined in subdivision (4) of subsection 14 of this section. The fund shall consist of moneys deposited into it from each board's fund. Each board shall contribute a prorated amount necessary to fund the division for services rendered and rent based upon the system of accounting and budgeting established by the director of the division as provided in subdivision (4) of this subsection. Transfers of funds to the professional registration fees fund shall be made by each board on July first of each year; provided, however, that the director of the division may establish an alternative date or dates of transfers at the request of any board. Such transfers shall be made until they equal the prorated amount for services rendered and rent by the division. The provisions of section 33.080, RSMo, to the contrary notwithstanding, money in this fund shall not be transferred and placed to the credit of general revenue.
(6) The director of the division shall be responsible for collecting and accounting for all moneys received by the division or its component agencies. Any money received by a board or commission shall be promptly given, identified by type and source, to the director. The director shall keep a record by board and state accounting system classification of the amount of revenue the director receives. The director shall promptly transmit all receipts to the department of revenue for deposit in the state treasury to the credit of the appropriate fund. The director shall provide each board with all relevant financial information in a timely fashion. Each board shall cooperate with the director by providing necessary information.
(7) All educational transcripts, test scores, complaints, investigatory reports, and information pertaining to any person who is an applicant or licensee of any agency assigned to the division of professional registration by statute or by the department of economic development are confidential and may not be disclosed to the public or any member of the public, except with the written consent of the person whose records are involved. The agency which possesses the records or information shall disclose the records or information if the person whose records or information is involved has consented to the disclosure. Each agency is entitled to the attorney-client privilege and work-product privilege to the same extent as any other person. Provided, however, that any board may disclose confidential information without the consent of the person involved in the course of voluntary interstate exchange of information, or in the course of any litigation concerning that person, or pursuant to a lawful request, or to other administrative or law enforcement agencies acting within the scope of their statutory authority. Information regarding identity, including names and addresses, registration, and currency of the license of the persons possessing licenses to engage in a professional occupation and the names and addresses of applicants for such licenses is not confidential information.
(8) Any deliberations conducted and votes taken in rendering a final decision after a hearing before an agency assigned to the division shall be closed to the parties and the public. Once a final decision is rendered, that decision shall be made available to the parties and the public.
(9) The director of the division shall retain personnel to render necessary services to the division and to the boards, including accountants, lawyers, and investigators. The director may retain these services by agreement with other agencies, including the attorney general, by employment of such personnel, or by agreement with private parties.
15. (1) The division of registration and examination, department of education, within chapter 161, RSMo, and others, is abolished and the following boards and commissions are transferred by specific type transfers to the division of professional registration, department of economic development: state board of accountancy, chapter 326, RSMo; state board of barber examiners, chapter 328, RSMo; state board of registration for architects, professional engineers and land surveyors, chapter 327, RSMo; state board of chiropractic examiners, chapter 331, RSMo; state board of cosmetology, chapter 329, RSMo; state board of healing arts, chapter 334, RSMo; Missouri dental board, chapter 332, RSMo; state board of embalmers and funeral directors, chapter 333, RSMo; state board of optometry, chapter 336, RSMo; state board of nursing, chapter 335, RSMo; board of pharmacy, chapter 338, RSMo; state board of podiatry, chapter 330, RSMo; Missouri real estate commission, chapter 339, RSMo; and Missouri veterinary medical board chapter 340, RSMo. The governor shall appoint members of these boards by and with the advice and consent of the senate from nominees submitted by the director of the department.
(2) The boards and commissions assigned to the division shall exercise all their respective statutory duties and powers, except those clerical and other staff services involving collecting and accounting for moneys and financial management relating to the issuance and renewal of licenses, which services shall be provided by the division, within the appropriation therefor. All clerical and other staff services relating to the issuance and renewal of licenses of the individual boards and commissions are abolished. All clerical and other staff services pertaining to collecting and accounting for moneys and to financial management relative to the issuance and renewal of licenses of the individual boards and commissions are abolished. Nothing herein shall prohibit employment of professional examining or testing services from professional associations or others as required by the boards or commissions on contract. Nothing herein shall be construed to affect the power of a board or commission to expend its funds as appropriated. However, the division shall review the expense vouchers of each board. The results of such review shall be submitted to the board reviewed and to the house and senate appropriations committees annually.
(3) Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, the director of the division shall exercise only those management functions of the boards and commissions specifically provided in the Reorganization Act of 1974, and those relating to the allocation and assignment of space, personnel other than board personnel, and equipment.
(4) "Board personnel", as used in this section or chapters 326, 327, 328, 329, 330, 331, 332, 333, 334, 335, 336, 338, 339 and 340, RSMo, shall mean personnel whose functions and responsibilities are in areas not related to the clerical duties involving the issuance and renewal of licenses, to the collecting and accounting for moneys, or to financial management relating to issuance and renewal of licenses; specifically included are executive secretaries (or comparable positions), consultants, inspectors, investigators, counsel, and secretarial support staff for these positions; and such other positions as are established and authorized by statute for a particular board or commission. Boards and commissions may employ legal counsel[, if authorized by law,] and temporary personnel if the board is unable to meet its responsibilities with the employees authorized above. Any board or commission which hires temporary employees shall annually provide the division director and the appropriation committees of the general assembly with a complete list of all persons employed in the previous year, the length of their employment, the amount of their remuneration and a description of their responsibilities.
(5) Board personnel for each board or commission shall be employed by and serve at the pleasure of the board or commission, shall be supervised as the board or commission designates, and shall have their duties and compensation prescribed by the board or commission, within appropriations for that purpose, except that compensation for board personnel shall not exceed that established for comparable positions as determined by the board or commission pursuant to the job and pay plan of the department of economic development. Nothing herein shall be construed to permit salaries for any board personnel to be lowered except by board action.
(6) Each board or commission shall receive complaints concerning its licensees' business or professional practices. Each board or commission shall establish by rule a procedure for the handling of such complaints prior to the filing of formal complaints before the administrative hearing commission. The rule shall provide, at a minimum, for the logging of each complaint received, the recording of the licensee's name, the name of the complaining party, the date of the complaint, and a brief statement of the complaint and its ultimate disposition. The rule shall provide for informing the complaining party of the progress of the investigation, the dismissal of the charges or the filing of a complaint before the administrative hearing commission.
16. All the powers, duties and functions of the division of athletics, chapter 317, RSMo, and others, are transferred by type I transfer to the division of professional registration. The athletic commission is abolished.
17. The state council on the arts, chapter 185, RSMo, and others, is transferred by type II transfer to the department of economic development, and the members of the council shall be appointed by the director of the department.
18. The Missouri housing development commission, chapter 215, RSMo, is assigned to the department of economic development, but shall remain a governmental instrumentality of the state of Missouri and shall constitute a body corporate and politic.
19. All the authority, powers, duties, functions, records, personnel, property, matters pending and other pertinent vestiges of the division of manpower planning of the department of social services are transferred by a type I transfer to the "Division of Job Development and Training", which is hereby created, within the department of economic development. The division of manpower planning within the department of social services is abolished. The provisions of section 1 of the Omnibus State Reorganization Act of 1974, Appendix B, relating to the manner and procedures for transfers of state agencies shall apply to the transfers provided in this section.
20. Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in section 536.010, RSMo, that is created under the authority delegated in this chapter shall become effective only if it complies with and is subject to all of the provisions of chapter 536, RSMo, and, if applicable, section 536.028, RSMo. All rulemaking authority delegated prior to August 28, 1999, is of no force and effect and repealed. Nothing in this section shall be interpreted to repeal or affect the validity of any rule filed or adopted prior to August 28, 1999, if it fully complied with all applicable provisions of law. This section and chapter 536, RSMo, are nonseverable and if any of the powers vested with the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536, RSMo, to review, to delay the effective date or to disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking authority and any rule proposed or adopted after August 28, 1999, shall be invalid and void.
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