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SECOND REGULAR SESSION
[TRULY AGREED TO AND FINALLY PASSED]
SENATE SUBSTITUTE NO. 2 FOR
SENATE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
HOUSE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
HOUSE BILL NO. 1840
103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
4186S.07T 2026
AN ACT
To repeal section 161.412, RSMo, and to enact in lieu thereof four new sections relating to
communications involving persons with disabilities, with a contingent effective date.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Section 161.412, RSMo, is repealed and four new sections enacted in lieu
2 thereof, to be known as sections 161.412, 209.247, 301.287, and 650.535, to read as follows:
161.412. 1. Subject to appropriations, the Missouri commission for the deaf and hard
2 of hearing shall provide grants to:
3 (1) Organizations that provide services for deaf-blind children and their families.
4 Such services may include providing family support advocates to assist deaf-blind children in
5 participating in their communities and family education specialists to teach parents and
6 siblings skills to support the deaf-blind children in their family;
7 (2) Organizations that provide services for deaf-blind adults. Such grants shall be
8 used to provide assistance to deaf-blind adults who are working towards establishing and
9 maintaining independence; and
10 (3) Organizations that train support service providers. Such grants shall be used to
11 provide training that will lead to certification of support service providers in Missouri.
12 2. The commission shall use a request-for-proposal process to award the grants in this
13 section. Organizations that receive grants under this section may expend the grant for any
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.
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14 purpose authorized in this section. [The total amount of grants provided under this section
15 shall not exceed three hundred thousand dollars annually.]
209.247. 1. As used in this section, the following terms mean:
2 (1) "Commission", the Missouri commission for the deaf and hard of hearing;
3 (2) "Communication access services", shall include, but not be limited to, the
4 following:
5 (a) Qualified interpreters, as described in section 209.285;
6 (b) Communication access realtime translation services;
7 (c) Notetakers, visual or Braille boards, and visual video services;
8 (d) Open and closed captioning services;
9 (e) Environmental access support for the deaf-blind and those with low vision;
10 and
11 (f) Any other effective method of making aurally delivered and printed
12 information available to individuals who are deaf, deaf-blind, or hard of hearing;
13 (3) "Communication access service provider", an individual who is trained to
14 offer a communication access service to communicate aurally delivered and printed
15 information to individuals who are deaf, deaf-blind, or hard of hearing.
16 2. The commission shall establish a statewide communication access services
17 program to improve compliance with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act for
18 agencies and businesses by coordinating resources, filling service gaps, and assisting
19 with costs related to accommodations. The commission shall:
20 (1) Develop and maintain a statewide registry of communication access service
21 providers, organized by region, including rural and urban areas;
22 (2) Create a process for communication access service providers to apply for
23 placement on the registry;
24 (3) Establish minimum standards for training, equipment, and technology;
25 (4) Maintain an informational website accessible by businesses, agencies, and
26 individuals who are deaf, deaf-blind, or hard of hearing regarding resources and
27 available programming;
28 (5) Provide consultation, training, and technical assistance to aid state and local
29 agencies to be in compliance with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act;
30 (6) Provide information regarding available resources to assist with compliance
31 costs and to support potential communication access service providers in underserved
32 areas;
33 (7) Conduct outreach activities for urban or rural residents and communication
34 access service providers to expand awareness and capacity in underserved areas;
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35 (8) Subject to appropriation, administer scholarships for professional
36 development, internships, and certification testing;
37 (9) Subject to appropriation and pursuant to rules promulgated under this
38 section, administer and finance requests for communication access services between
39 agencies and businesses and individuals who are deaf, deaf-blind, or hard of hearing;
40 (10) Hire a program manager to serve at the pleasure of the director of the
41 commission. The program manager shall have a background and experience in
42 communication access services. The salary for the program manager shall be paid out
43 of the fund established in subsection 3 of this section; and
44 (11) Submit an annual report to the governor and the general assembly that
45 includes information on communication access service utilization, registry effectiveness,
46 funding outcomes, and recommendations for improvement.
47 3. (1) There is hereby created in the state treasury the "Communication Access
48 Services Fund", which shall consist of moneys appropriated to the fund and any gifts,
49 donations, grants, and bequests from individuals, private organizations, foundations, or
50 other sources for the purpose of administering the program established in this section.
51 The state treasurer shall be the custodian of the fund. In accordance with sections
52 30.170 and 30.180, the state treasurer may approve disbursements. The fund shall be a
53 dedicated fund and, upon appropriation, moneys in the fund shall be used by the
54 commission for the salary of the program manager, distribution of financial assistance
55 for communication access services, and distribution of scholarships under this section.
56 (2) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 33.080 to the contrary, any moneys
57 remaining in the fund at the end of the biennium shall not revert to the credit of the
58 general revenue fund.
59 (3) The state treasurer shall invest moneys in the fund in the same manner as
60 other funds are invested. Any interest and moneys earned on such investments shall be
61 credited to the fund.
62 4. The commission shall promulgate rules to implement the provisions of this
63 section, including the process for distributing scholarships under subdivision (8) of
64 subsection 2 of this section and determining eligibility for financial assistance under
65 subdivision (9) of subsection 2 of this section. Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term
66 is defined in section 536.010, that is created under the authority delegated in this section
67 shall become effective only if it complies with and is subject to all of the provisions of
68 chapter 536 and, if applicable, section 536.028. This section and chapter 536 are
69 nonseverable and if any of the powers vested with the general assembly pursuant to
70 chapter 536 to review, to delay the effective date, or to disapprove and annul a rule are
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71 subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking authority and any rule
72 proposed or adopted after August 28, 2026, shall be invalid and void.
301.287. 1. This section shall be known and referred to as "Mason's Law".
2 2. Beginning January 1, 2027, a resident of this state with a health condition or
3 disability that limits or impairs the ability to effectively communicate with law
4 enforcement may, at any time, apply to the department of revenue for a designation that
5 shall be associated with the person's motor vehicle license plate number and available to
6 law enforcement under the Missouri uniform law enforcement system (MULES)
7 established under chapter 43.
8 3. The initial application, which shall be on a form prescribed by the department
9 and made available on the department's website, shall by signed by a physician licensed
10 under chapter 334, or a psychologist licensed under chapter 337, certifying that:
11 (1) The applicant or the applicant's child, parent, or spouse has a physical or
12 mental health condition that is likely to impair the ability to effectively communicate
13 with law enforcement; and
14 (2) The physician or psychologist has determined that the applicant or the
15 applicant's child, parent, or spouse will have the communication impairment for at least
16 five years.
17 4. Upon submission of an application and approval by the department, the
18 department shall notify the Missouri state highway patrol of the resident's approved
19 application and the highway patrol shall prepare an entry in the Missouri uniform law
20 enforcement system (MULES) that indicates that the applicant or the applicant's child,
21 parent, or spouse has a physical or mental health condition that may impair the ability
22 to effectively communicate with law enforcement. Such entry shall remain active for a
23 period of five years, unless the applicant requests that such designation be removed
24 from the system. Upon expiration of the five-year period, the designation in MULES
25 may be reactivated upon the filing of a renewal form with the department signed by a
26 physician licensed under chapter 334, or a psychologist licensed under chapter 337,
27 certifying that:
28 (1) The applicant or the applicant's child, parent, or spouse has a physical or
29 mental health condition that is likely to impair the ability to effectively communicate
30 with law enforcement; and
31 (2) The physician or psychologist has determined that the applicant or the
32 applicant's child, parent, or spouse will have the communication impairment for at least
33 five years.
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34 5. The department of public safety shall issue guidance and education materials
35 to all law enforcement agencies in this state to promote awareness of the designation
36 established under this section.
37 6. The department of revenue may promulgate all necessary rules and
38 regulations for the administration of this section. Any rule or portion of a rule, as that
39 term is defined in section 536.010, that is created under the authority delegated in this
40 section shall become effective only if it complies with and is subject to all of the
41 provisions of chapter 536 and, if applicable, section 536.028. This section and chapter
42 536 are nonseverable and if any of the powers vested with the general assembly
43 pursuant to chapter 536 to review, to delay the effective date, or to disapprove and annul
44 a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking authority
45 and any rule proposed or adopted after August 28, 2026, shall be invalid and void.
650.535. 1. This section shall be known and may be cited as "RJ's Law".
2 2. There is hereby created within the department of public safety a statewide
3 program called the "Purple Alert System" to aid in the identification and location,
4 through immediate and effective community and emergency response, of missing
5 persons with developmental disabilities whose disappearance poses a credible threat of
6 immediate danger or serious bodily harm to the missing persons and who are believed to
7 be unable to return to safety without assistance.
8 3. For purposes of this section, "developmental disability" includes the
9 following:
10 (1) A mental or cognitive disability, which shall not include, for persons sixty
11 years of age or older, Alzheimer's disease or a dementia-related disorder;
12 (2) An intellectual disability;
13 (3) A brain injury;
14 (4) Other physical, mental, or emotional disabilities that are not related to
15 substance abuse; or
16 (5) Any combination of such conditions.
17 4. Before July 1, 2027, the department of public safety, in cooperation with the
18 Missouri state highway patrol, department of transportation, department of mental
19 health, local developmental disability resource boards, the state lottery, and local law
20 enforcement agencies shall:
21 (1) Develop a training program and alert system for missing persons who have
22 developmental disabilities that is compatible with existing alert systems in the state. The
23 training program shall implement crisis intervention team training to equip law
24 enforcement officers with the skills necessary to understand developmental disabilities,
25 to de-escalate interactions with persons in crisis, to facilitate appropriate interventions,
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26 and to respond effectively to a reported missing person emergency when the person has
27 a developmental disability;
28 (2) Establish policies and procedures for responding to a reported missing
29 person emergency when the person has a developmental disability. The policies shall, at
30 a minimum, provide for the following:
31 (a) Immediate and widespread dissemination of critical information when a
32 person who has a developmental disability is reported missing;
33 (b) Enhancement of emergency response teams' competence by informing them
34 of the unique behaviors and needs of persons with developmental disabilities; and
35 (c) Measures to increase public awareness and understanding of the risks
36 associated with developmental disability-related elopement to foster community support
37 for persons with developmental disabilities; and
38 (3) Require a law enforcement agency to do the following, at a minimum, upon
39 receiving a report:
40 (a) Contact media outlets in the affected area or surrounding jurisdictions;
41 (b) Inform all on-duty law enforcement officers of the reported missing person
42 with a developmental disability; and
43 (c) Communicate the report to all other law enforcement agencies in the counties
44 surrounding the county in which the report is filed.
45 5. The department of public safety shall administer and promulgate rules for the
46 implementation of the alert system established under this section. Any rule or portion
47 of a rule, as that term is defined in section 536.010, that is created under the authority
48 delegated in this section shall become effective only if it complies with and is subject to
49 all of the provisions of chapter 536 and, if applicable, section 536.028. This section and
50 chapter 536 are nonseverable and if any of the powers vested with the general assembly
51 pursuant to chapter 536 to review, to delay the effective date, or to disapprove and annul
52 a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking authority
53 and any rule proposed or adopted after August 28, 2026, shall be invalid and void.
Section B. The enactment of section 301.287 of this act shall take effect as soon as
2 technologically possible following the development and maintenance of a modernized,
3 integrated system for the titling of vehicles, issuance and renewal of vehicle registrations,
4 issuance and renewal of driver's licenses and identification cards, and perfection and release
5 of liens and encumbrances on vehicles, to be funded by the motor vehicle administration
6 technology fund as created in section 301.558. Following the development of the system, the
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7 director of the department of revenue shall notify the governor, the secretary of state, and the
8 revisor of statutes, and shall implement the provisions of section 301.287 of this act.
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