Student Legislative Day Update February 24, 2025

Written By Megan Bearden

We had a wonderful turnout for our Student Legislative Day on February 24, 2025. 45 graduate counseling students from across the state gathered in Jefferson City to advocate for proposed Missouri bills related to the counseling profession. The students learned about the legislative process, met their personal representative and senator, and used their voice to advocate for our profession and clients. Check out the information below to see what we advocated about.

You can find your legislators using this site. Use your voice by sending a letter or email to them regarding any of these bills.

*Status of bills below were updated as of 2.25.25. Follow the links for each bill to see updates as they arise.

Main Priorities in the SENATE

  • SB 441

    • Summary: Allows for executive director of licensure committee to issue licenses rather than the whole committee. Committee would review if there are application concerns. Also allows for the Committee to display the name, address, license number, and license status for each licensee of any license type on the Division of Professional Registration's searchable listing of licensees.

    • Position: Oppose (would support if wording is changed to not display counselor addresses)

      • Rationale: This bill has 2 aspects. First is about the process for licensure approval. We agree with the ED of the licensure committee reviewing and approving applications that meet requirements and only having the board review applications with concerns. This would speed up the licensure process and reduce delays in licensure and ultimately services to our clients. The second issue would allow for listing PLPC and LPC information on the website, including address. We are opposed to this as it can be unsafe for counselors if our addresses are displayed and accessible for clients, especially if we work with specific populations (DV, forensic MH, etc.). We are agreeable to listing the county we work in as a matter of transparency but not our residential addresses. 

    • Status: 2/17/2025 - Second Read and Referred to Committee: Emerging Issues and Professional Registration (not assigned a hearing date)

    • Sponsor: Curtis Trent

      • As of 2/24/25, after discussion with Sen. Trent’s legislative aide, they said they would consider amending the bill to remove the portion about posting counselors’ personal addresses.

    • https://www.senate.mo.gov/25info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&BillID=176

  • SB 285

    • Summary: Would deny license application or renewal of, or bring ethical complaints against, those who engage in conversion therapy with minors. For purposes of this subdivision, the term "conversion therapy" means any practices or treatments that seek to change an individual's sexual orientation or gender identity, including efforts to change behaviors or gender expressions or to eliminate or reduce sexual or romantic attractions or feelings toward individuals of the same gender. The term "conversion therapy" shall not include counseling that provides assistance to a person undergoing gender transition or counseling that provides acceptance, support, and understanding of a person or facilitates a person's coping, social support, and identity exploration and development, including sexual-orientation-neutral interventions to prevent or address unlawful conduct or unsafe sexual practices, as long as such counseling does not seek to change an individual's sexual orientation or gender identity.

    • Position: Support 

    • Rationale: This bill is working to ban conversion therapy for minors. Conversion therapy’s goal is to cause someone to become straight through therapy or counseling. Conversion therapy does not align with our ethics and has been shown to cause harm to clients. Our ethical codes affirm that clients have autonomy in choices about their life. We do not impose our own values and beliefs (A.4.b) on our clients and seek to avoid harm (A.4.a), especially to minors. 

      • The American Counseling Association (ACA) opposes the practice of conversion therapy and advocates for the banning of such practices in the United States. As a leading organization in the field of behavioral health care, the ACA stands against conversion therapy because there is no credible scientific data to support its effectiveness. Furthermore, extensive research has demonstrated that conversion therapy is a harmful and damaging practice for clients, often resulting in psychological trauma and distress.

      • The American Mental Health Counselors Association states “There is virtually no credible evidence that any type of psychotherapy can change a person's sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, and, in fact, these efforts pose critical health risks to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people, including depression, shame, decreased self-esteem, social withdrawal, substance abuse, risky behavior, and suicidality.”

    • Status: 2/13/2025 - Second Read and Referred to Committee: Families, Seniors and Health

    • Sponsor: Tracy McCreery

    • https://www.senate.mo.gov/25info/bts_web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&BillID=456

Main Priorities in the HOUSE

  • HB 822 // 825

    • Summary: This bill adjusts the definition of "telehealth services" under Chapter 191, RSMo, to include audiovisual and audio-only technologies.  Health care providers are not to be limited in their choice of electronic platforms used to deliver telehealth or telemedicine, provided that all services that are delivered are in accordance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996.

    • Position: Support 

      • Rationale: This bill helps clarify the definition of telehealth to include audio only. Audio only services can benefit clients who live in rural areas without consistent internet access or those who might not have access to technology for audiovisual (video) sessions. It also allows providers to select the platform of choice to deliver services so we are not mandated to use a specific platform that might be imposed by an insurance company. Finally, it reminds us to be HIPAA compliant, which is good ethical and legal practice.

    • Status: 

      • 2/11/25 Committee Hearing Completed by Health and Mental Health Committee and voted DO PASS; 

      • 2/19 Referred to Committee: Rules>Legislative; Hearing scheduled for 2/27 end of day

        • Committee Members: Rep. Cupps (chair), Rep. Boggs (vice chair), Rep. Bosley, Rep. Baker, Rep. Billington, Rep. Dean, Rep. Ingle, Rep. Pollitt, Rep. Pouche, Rep. West

    • Sponsor: Mansur (822) // Stinnett (825)

    • 822: https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB822&year=2025&code=R

    • 825: https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB825&year=2025&code=R

  • HB 38

    • Summary: This bill prohibits any school employee or independent contractor from using a pronoun for a student that does not align with such student's biological sex as indicated on the student's birth certificate without written permission from the student's parent. The bill restricts schools from requiring any employee or independent contractor from using a pronoun for a student that is different from that student's biological sex if doing so is contrary to the employee's or contractor's religious or moral convictions.

    • Position: Oppose (we ask for an amendment to make mental health counselors exempt as following this law could result in an ethical violation or violation of confidentiality)

      • Rationale: This bill would require counselors in schools to get parental permission before using a student’s preferred pronouns if they differ from the student’s biological sex at birth. Additionally, if parental permission is received for using  a student’s preferred pronoun, the bill would allow those who work in the school an exemption to not use preferred pronouns due to moral or religious conviction. Overall, this bill could cause issues connected to our ethical requirements as therapists and could inflict harm on our clients. While we understand the ethical and best-practice guidelines to engage caregivers in the treatment process of minors (see below), we have training to evaluate and navigate how and when we include caregivers in conversations surrounding their student’s gender identity, and preferred pronouns, as sometimes early disclosure or inappropriate disclosure of that information can lead to more harm for the student (our client). 

      • ACA Code of Ethics B.5.b “Counselors inform parents and legal guardians about the role of counselors and the confidential nature of the counseling relationship, consistent with current legal and custodial arrangements. Counselors are sensitive to the cultural diversity of families and respect the inherent rights and responsibilities of parents/guardians regarding the welfare of their children/charges according to law. Counselors work to establish, as appropriate, collaborative relationships with parents/guardians to best serve clients.”

    • Status: 1/9/25 Read second time in the House. Not assigned to a committee for review

    • Sponsor: Hardy Billington

    • https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB38&year=2025&code=R

  • HB 227 

    • Summary: This bill adds "mental health courts" to the list of treatment court divisions, defined as a court focused on addressing the mental health disorder or co-occurring disorder of defendants charged with a criminal offense.  The bill specifies that a mental health court may be established by any circuit court to provide an alternative for the judicial system to dispose of cases that stem from a mental health disorder or co-occurring disorder.

    • Position: Support

      • Rationale: We support the creation of mental health courts. ​​In order to facilitate greater efficiency and effectiveness in the justice system for the populations encountered, specialty courts act to counter a system that historically has depersonalized individuals (Kleinfeld, 2016). Specialty courts identify common issues faced by particular populations and address the underlying causes of criminogenic behavior by focusing on the individual to produce better outcomes.

      • Further reading on mental health court and counselors’ roles: https://tpcjournal.nbcc.org/mental-health-counseling-and-specialty-courts/

    • Status: 1/9/25 Read a second time in the house. Not assigned to a committee for review.

    • Sponsor: John Black 

    • https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB227&year=2025&code=R

Megan Bearden
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