As expected, Sen. Riddle has decided to hear testimony on SB 8. She scheduled a hearing for Monday, February 1st at 2PM for oral testimony.

SB 8, filed by Chairwoman Riddle, is nearly identical to last year’s SB 942, which as you may recall contained disastrous provisions that redefined surgery and prevented NPs with doctorate degrees from using the title. This measure would have SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS on NP practice and we are asking APRNs to submit written or oral testimony to the Senate committee to OPPOSE this legislation.

As you may have heard, the number of people allowed in committee hearings is rather limited with COVID restrictions, but all who wish to be heard can attend and present their oral testimony. If you would rather submit written testimony, you would need to fill out the attached witness form AND complete the Senate Witness Registration System by creating an account here: Senate Witness System | Missouri Senate (mo.gov) .

Please be concise and focused in your testimony and focus on the reasons why you believe that SB 8 is detrimental to patients in Missouri.

Our concerns on this particular piece of legislation are as follows:

Definition of Surgery – Despite any suggestions to the contrary, proposed revisions to 334.010.6 will significantly and detrimentally limit procedures that are currently routinely performed in countless health care facilities all across Missouri. In addition to prohibiting routine procedures that are commonly performed, this revision would place an even greater burden on physicians to perform these tasks that are now completed by other competent health care providers, thereby increasing the demand on the physician workforce.

Use of Title – Many of the proposed revisions in SB 8 seek to impose punitive penalties on health care providers for utilizing titles that they have rightfully earned through their academic and clinical education. Tens of thousands of Missourians have earned doctorate degrees across a diverse spectrum of professions including, but not limited to, nurses, veterinarians, chiropractors, physical therapists, and numerous others. While we agree that no profession should infer that they are physicians when they are not, we also strongly oppose efforts to inhibit those who have achieved the highest level of education from using an academic title. Furthermore, existing statutes provide for penalties for misrepresentations on qualifications, making this proposed language duplicative and unnecessary.

Advertising – Several proposed revisions contained within SB 8 provide a mechanism for penalties against providers for circumstances that are often beyond their control or for which they have no knowledge of. Language that penalizes practitioners for using academic titles in signs, literature, and other material when those decisions are often made by advertising or marketing professionals is inherently unfair, particularly when the health care provider has no knowledge or role in the action that this bill’s language defines.

If you'd like to reach out to members of the Senate Professional Registration Committee in advance of Monday's 2PM hearing, you can reach any of the senators listed below by contacting them by phone or email.

Sen. Jeanie Riddle
573-751-2757
jeanie.riddle@senate.mo.gov

Sen. Eric Burlison
573-751-1503
eric.burlison@senate.mo.gov

Sen. Doug Beck
573-751-0220
doug.beck@senate.mo.gov

Sen. Karla Eslinger
573-751-1882
karla.eslinger@senate.mo.gov

Sen. Mike Moon
573-751-1480
mike.moon@senate.mo.gov

Sen. Barbara Washington
573-751-3158
barbara.washington@senate.mo.gov

Sen. Paul Wieland
573-751-1492
paul.wieland@senate.mo.gov

***Please note that we are NOT asking you to contact all senators, but instead ONLY the senators on the Senate Professional Registration Committee listed above.

Passage of this bill could have significant consequences for Missouri NPs and your patients, so YOUR involvement is essential.

If you have questions or would like some additional guidance, please email us at nursepractitioners@missourinp.org

Thank you in advance for taking a few minutes of your time. It is both necessary and appreciated.