Missouri HB 1926: Creates provisions relating to the disclosure of patients' citizenship or immigration status

Bill Text

SECOND REGULAR SESSION
HOUSE BILL NO. 1926
103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE BUSH.
4992H.01I JOSEPH ENGLER, Chief Clerk
AN ACT
To amend chapter 191, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to disclosure of
patients' citizenship or immigration status.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Chapter 191, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto one new section, to be
2 known as section 191.948, to read as follows:
191.948. 1. As used in this section, the following terms mean:
2 (1) "Health care professional", the same meaning given to the term in section
3 376.1350;
4 (2) "Law enforcement agency", any public agency that employs law enforcement
5 officers;
6 (3) "Law enforcement officer", the same meaning given to the term in section
7 44.091.
8 2. A health care professional shall not document in a patient's medical records
9 the citizenship or immigration status of the patient, or be required to document or
10 disclose such status, for any reason other than to assess the patient's needs for social or
11 community services for which the patient may be eligible.
12 3. A health care professional shall not disclose a patient's citizenship or
13 immigration status to any law enforcement agency.
14 4. Each appropriate licensing board shall investigate any suspected violations of
15 subsection 3 of this section by its licensees. If a licensing board finds that a health care
16 professional made a disclosure in violation of subsection 3 of this section, the following
17 provisions shall apply:
EXPLANATION — Matter enclosed in bold-faced brackets [thus] in the above bill is not enacted and is
intended to be omitted from the law. Matter in bold-face type in the above bill is proposed language.

18 (1) If the disclosure was accidental, the licensing board shall place the health
19 care professional on probation on such terms and conditions as the board deems
20 appropriate for a period of one year; or
21 (2) If the disclosure was intentional, the licensing board shall suspend the health
22 care professional's license for a period of one year per disclosure.
✔
HB 1926 2