Bill > HB409

This bill adds a new definition of "access to children" to Missouri state law governing residential care facilities. Specifically, the bill defines "access to children" as direct contact with children that is continual, frequent, and meaningful, occurring during the delivery of various services such as treatment, consulting, religious activities, educational programs, sports, or recreational and entertainment services. The bill amends Section 210.1253 of the Missouri Revised Statutes by inserting this new definition and slightly reorganizing the existing definitions related to residential care facilities. The definition is part of a broader set of statutes (sections 210.1250 to 210.1286) that regulate residential care facilities, which are defined as places that provide 24-hour supervision, care, lodging, and maintenance for children who are not related to the facility's operator and whose parents do not reside in the same facility. This amendment helps clarify the scope of interactions with children in such facilities, potentially to help establish standards for professional conduct and child safety.

Health and Social Services

https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB409&year=2025&code=R