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Bill Summary · HB 1979

Overview

HB 1979 (Session 2026, Missouri) seeks to modify provisions relating to community paramedic services. The bill is currently referred to Emerging Issues (H) as of May 15, 2026, after being introduced and undergoing standard readings in the Missouri House. Co-sponsor: Bennie Cook.

Purpose and intent

  • The bill aims to clarify, expand, or adjust the regulatory framework governing community paramedic services within Missouri. While the exact statutory language is not provided here, such bills typically address authorizing roles, scope of practice, certification or training requirements, funding, partnerships with local fire/EMS agencies, and oversight or reporting requirements for community paramedicine programs.

Key provisions and changes (as typical for community paramedic legislation)

Note: The following summarizes common elements often addressed in community paramedic-related bills. The precise text of HB 1979 would specify exact changes; the bulleted items reflect the kinds of provisions such bills usually modify.

  • Scope of practice
    • Defines or expands the duties that community paramedics may perform, which could include preventive care, chronic disease management, patient education, home visits, and coordination of social services.
  • Certification and training
    • Establishes or updates criteria for certification, continuing education, and competency standards for community paramedics.
  • Staffing and roles
    • Addresses staffing requirements for programs (e.g., who can supervise or authorize community paramedics) and delineates relationships with traditional EMS providers.
  • Collaboration and referrals
    • Creates mechanisms for referral to other healthcare providers, social services, or public health resources; may set timelines for follow-up and case management.
  • Funding and reimbursement
    • Outlines funding streams, potential reimbursement models, or pilot/positional funding to support community paramedic programs; may authorize grants or state matching funds.
  • Oversight and governance
    • Establishes reporting, data collection, and compliance requirements for programs, including oversight by a state board, department, or designated agency.
  • Public health integration
    • Encourages integration with local public health efforts, disaster response, and preventive health initiatives.
  • Immunity and liability
    • Clarifies civil liability protections or professional liability coverage for community paramedics when operating within the scope of the program.

Who would be affected

  • Community paramedics and EMS personnel operating under the state’s community paramedic programs.
  • Fire departments, EMS agencies, and healthcare providers collaborating with community paramedic initiatives.
  • Hospitals, primary care practices, and clinics that coordinate with community paramedic services.
  • Patients and community members receiving home-based or preventive care through community paramedicine.
  • State and local health departments or the agency designated to oversee EMS and community health programs.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Introduction and readings:
    • Prefiled in December 2025.
    • First Reading in the House on January 7, 2026.
    • Second Reading in the House on January 8, 2026.
  • Referral:
    • Referred to Emerging Issues (H) on May 15, 2026, indicating potential focus on current or future policy challenges and evaluation of the bill’s implications.
  • Next steps (typical, not guaranteed):
    • Committee hearings, potential amendments, and floor votes.
    • If passed by the House, the bill would move to the Senate for consideration and further action, with potential conference committee review if there are differences between chambers.

Potential impact

  • Operational clarity: Provides a clearer framework for implementing community paramedic programs across Missouri.
  • Service expansion: Could enable broader patient care delivery in home and community settings, potentially reducing hospital readmissions and improving access for underserved populations.
  • Fiscal implications: Depending on funding and reimbursement provisions, state or local governments and EMS agencies may incur new costs or receive funding to implement programs.
  • Public health outcomes: Strengthened integration with preventive and chronic disease management could improve population health metrics at the community level.

If you need a line-by-line breakdown, or the exact statutory changes once the bill text is released, I can provide a more detailed analysis.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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