CCS/HCS/SS/SB 150 - This act creates, repeals, and modifies provisions relating to workforce development initiatives. ADULT HIGH SCHOOLS (Sections 160.2700, 160.2705, and 160.2710) The act lowers the minimum age of a student who may enroll in an adult high school from 21 years of age to 18 years of age. To be eligible to operate an adult high school, an organization shall demonstrate success in providing job placement services to adults 18 years of age or older, instead of 21 years of age or older, in addition to satisfying certain other conditions set forth in current law. Additionally, a student transferring from a local education agency to an adult high school shall be considered a transfer student and not a dropout student from the local education agency. These provisions are identical to HCS/HB 32 (2025) and to provisions in CCS/HCS/SS/SCS/SB 68 (2025), SCS/HCS/HB 607 (2025), and HCS/HB 712 (2025), and are similar to SB 426 (2025) and HB 1110 (2025). STEM CAREER AWARENESS (Section 161.264) This act creates the "STEM Career Awareness Activity Fund" for the purpose of establishing a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) activity program for students in grades nine through twelve. Under the act, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) shall select a provider to deliver a teacher-led program that involves facilitating a cohort of students to conduct STEM activities at state, national, or international competitions. DESE shall select a provider that presents data demonstrating the effectiveness of the program in achieving certain goals specified in the act. DESE shall begin soliciting applications from providers by January 1, 2026, and select a provider by March 1, 2026. This provision is identical to HB 1111 (2025) and provisions in CCS/HCS/SS/SCS/SB 68 (2025) and HCS/HB 33 (2025), and is substantially similar to SB 265 (2025), HB 1972 (2024), SB 535 (2023), HB 887 (2023), and provisions in SCS/SB 976 (2024), HCS/SB 1039 (2024), HCS/SS/SCS/SBs 411 & 230 (2023), and HCS/HB 502 (2023). AUTHORITY TO CONFER DEGREES (Sections 172.280 and 174.160) This act authorizes Missouri State University to grant Doctor of Philosophy degrees in disciplines other than engineering and to grant Bachelor of Science degrees in veterinary technology. These provisions are identical to provisions in CCS/HCS/SS/SB 160 (2025) and substantially similar to provisions in SS#2/HB 419 (2025), HCS/SS/SB 38 (2025), and HCS/HB 606 (2025). PROPRIETARY SCHOOLS (Sections 173.612 and 173.616) Currently, the Coordinating Board for Higher Education may require proprietary schools to file a security bond that covers the school and its agents, indemnifying students who suffer loss or damage due to a violation of state law by the school. This act specifies that any such bond shall be filed with the Coordinating Board for Higher Education. If a student suffers loss or damage because of a violation of state law by the school, or is unable to complete a course or program due to the school closing, or does not receive a refund to which such student is entitled, the school shall forfeit the entirety of the security bond, and the Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development (DHEWD) shall utilize the proceeds to indemnify students and enrollees and to secure and administer student and enrollee records. The act also adds training programs offered as part of a registered apprenticeship approved by the United States Department of Labor or pre-apprenticeship programs approved by DHEWD to the list of courses exempt from state laws governing proprietary schools. These provisions are identical to HB 1269 (2025) and similar to SB 690 (2025). STEM GRANT (Section 173.685) This act requires the Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development (DHEWD) to make available a grant to study science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) subjects for $1,500 per year, up to a maximum of $6,000, to eligible recipients. The act outlines eligibility criteria for a grant, including financial considerations that are also included in the Access Missouri Financial Assistance Program. The act specifies certain requirements for renewing a grant, such as the achievement of satisfactory academic progress, as the term "satisfactory academic progress" is defined in the act, and having completed five or fewer semesters at a two-year institution or a total of 10 semesters at an approved four-year institution. This provision shall sunset August 28, 2031. This provision is identical to HB 168 (2025) and similar to HB 2313 (2024) and a provision in SCS/HCS/HB 1569 (2024). CAREER-TECH CERTIFICATE PROGRAM (Section 173.836) This act establishes the "Career-Tech Certificate (CTC) Program" and the "Career-Tech Certificate (CTC) Program Fund" to reimburse the costs of eligible students' tuition, books, and fees to certain approved institutions, such as two-year community colleges and technical schools, that offer eligible programs of study or training programs. The act defines an "eligible student" as any student who meets the eligibility requirements for the A+ Schools Program or who has earned a Career and Technical Education Certificate in accordance with criteria outlined by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. To qualify, the student shall not have received reimbursement for tuition, books, or fees under the A+ Schools Program. An "eligible program of study" is a program of instruction that results in the award of a certificate or credential below the graduate level in an area of occupational shortage, as determined annually by the Coordinating Board for Higher Education. The length of an eligible program of study shall not exceed the equivalent of 60 credit hours. A "training program" is defined as a program of study that leads to a certificate or degree that does not meet the length-of-program requirements for an eligible program under federal regulations regarding federal grants and loans for postsecondary students. Training programs include, but are not limited to, certified nurse assistant programs, certified medication technician programs, commercial driver's license programs, and other programs outlined in the act. Beginning in the 2026-27 school year and for all subsequent years, the Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development shall establish a procedure to reimburse the costs of tuition, books, and fees from the CTC Program Fund to the approved institution at which an eligible student is enrolled in an eligible program of study or a training program. Tuition reimbursements shall not exceed the tuition rate charged by a public community college for coursework offered by a two-year private vocational or technical school, virtual institution, or eligible training provider. A private vocational or technical school, institution, or training provider shall request authorization from DHEWD for tuition reimbursement before a student enrolls if there is a public community college or vocational or technical school in the same service region offering the same or a substantially similar eligible program of study or training program, as provided in the act. Eligibility for reimbursements under the act shall expire upon the earliest of (a) the approved institution's receipt of the reimbursement for the required length of the eligible program of study or training program, (b) a student's successful completion of an eligible program of study or training program, or (c) a student's completion of 150% of the time usually required to complete an eligible program of study or training program. The Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development shall establish by rule procedures for the reimbursement of tuition, books, and fees to all approved institutions, provided that no rule established shall prohibit a student from qualifying for tuition reimbursement solely because such student's program of study or training program does not meet the length-of-program requirements for federal financial aid or does not participate in federal student aid programs. This provision is similar to HCS/HB 331 (2025), SB 1065 (2024), HB 76 (2023), and provisions in HCS/HB 606 (2025) and SCS/HCS/HB 1569 (2024). ACCESS MISSOURI FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE (Sections 173.1102, 173.1103, and 173.1105) This act modifies provisions relating to the Access Missouri Financial Assistance Program. The act replaces the term "expected family contribution" with "student aid index", which defines the amount a student's family should contribute toward the cost of postsecondary education, as calculated by the United States Department of Education. Starting with the 2025-26 academic year, the act increases the financial assistance award for eligible recipients of the Access Missouri Financial Assistance Program. For students attending public two-year institutions, the maximum award increases by $400 (from $1300 to $1700), and the minimum award increases by $200 (from $300 to $500). For students attending public four-year institutions, the maximum award increases by $700 (from $2800 to $3500), and the minimum increases by $250 (from $1500 to $1750). Additionally, the act authorizes the Coordinating Board for Higher Education to increase the number of recipients by extending the application deadline if appropriated funds exceed the amount necessary. These provisions are identical to HB 265 (2025), substantially similar to SB 579 (2025), and similar to HB 2326 (2024) and a provision in SCS/HCS/HB 1569 (2024). MISSION OF MISSOURI SOUTHERN STATE UNIVERSITY (Section 174.231) This act adds health and life sciences and immersive learning experiences to the mission of Missouri Southern State University. This provision is substantially similar to SB 279 (2025), SB 907 (2024), and a provision in SS#2/HB 419 (2025). HIGHER EDUCATION CORE CURRICULA (Section 178.786) This act modifies provisions of the Higher Education Core Curriculum Transfer Act. The act provides that the Coordinating Board for Higher Education shall, with the assistance of an advisory committee composed of representatives from each public community college and each public four-year institution of higher education, approve a separate 60 credit-hour, transferable, lower-division course equivalency block and a common course numbering equivalency matrix for degree programs in each of the following degree program areas: general business, elementary education and teaching, general psychology, registered nursing, and general biology or biological science, or both. Any community college or university offering degree programs in one or more of these areas shall adopt the 60 credit-hour, transferable, lower-division course equivalency block and a common course numbering equivalency matrix for such programs. Each public institution of higher education shall, in collaboration with the coordinating board and advisory committee, develop an articulation pathway for each of the identified programmatic areas. Community colleges shall modify existing degree programs or, pending institutional and Coordinating Board approval, may develop new programs that align with the 60 credit-hour, transferable, lower-division course equivalency block. Universities shall modify existing degree programs or, pending institutional and Coordinating Board approval, may develop new degree programs, with the first 60 hours aligning with an associate degree developed in one of the five degree program areas included in the 60 credit-hour, transferable, lower-division course equivalency block, and with the remaining credit hours determined by the institution's faculty through standard procedures. A program modified or developed under the act shall be granted, by the Coordinating Board, a special designation indicating that such program has been developed to provide a single articulation pathway to a four-year degree at any Missouri public university offering such degree program. The goal of this designation shall be to provide transparency to students seeking a single articulation pathway to a given baccalaureate degree program. No institution of higher education shall be required to adopt the 60 credit-hour, transferable, lower-division course equivalency block for degree programs not offered at the institution. Program development at each institution shall be completed in time for courses in the 60 credit-hour, transferable, lower-division course equivalency block to be included in the 2028-29 catalog at each institution providing degree programs in the applicable subject areas. The Coordinating Board shall maintain a website providing students with clear information on the articulation pathways developed under the act. If a student successfully completes the transferable lower-division courses at a community college or other public institution of higher education, those courses may be transferred to any other public institution of higher education in this state and shall be substituted for the receiving institution's lower-division block for the same degree program. A student shall receive academic credit toward his or her degree for each of the courses transferred and shall not be required to take additional equivalent courses at the receiving institution for the same degree program. However, these provisions shall not apply to institutions not offering an applicable degree program or to any other degree programs not specified in the act. Due to program size limitations established for each institution by the State Board of Nursing, admissions to undergraduate nursing programs shall be considered on a space available basis and contingent upon students meeting program admissions requirements, and additional courses may be required to complete the bachelor's degree. If a student transfers from one public institution of higher education to another public institution of higher education without completing all of the transferable lower-division courses of the sending institution, such student shall receive academic credit toward the same degree program from the receiving institution for each of the courses that the student has successfully completed in the 60 credit-hour, transferable, lower-division course equivalency block of the sending institution. Following receipt of credit for these courses, the student may, if the student has not completed all of the transferable lower-division courses, be required to satisfy further course requirements in the 60 credit-hour, transferable, lower-division course equivalency block of the receiving institution. However, these provisions shall not apply to institutions not offering an applicable degree program or to any other degree programs not specified in the act. The Coordinating Board shall report to the House Committee on Higher Education and the Senate Committee on Education regarding progress made toward fulfilling the requirements of the act before December 31, 2026. The Coordinating Board for Higher Education shall develop criteria to annually evaluate the effectiveness of the lower-division course equivalency block and procedures to be followed by public institutions of higher education in resolving disputes, as well as an appeals process for students in the event that an institution fails to award academic credit as provided in the act. The Commissioner of Higher Education or his or her designee shall make the final determination regarding any dispute or appeal and shall give written notice of the final decision to the involved institutions and student, as applicable. These provisions are similar to SS/SB 69 (2025), HB 183 (2025), SCS/SB 1075 (2024), HCS/HB 2310 (2024), and provisions in HCS/SS/SB 38 (2025) and SCS/HCS/HB 1569 (2024). "MISSOURI STATE LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM" (Sections 191.600 to 191.615) This act modifies provisions relating to the existing "Health Professional Student Loan Repayment Program" by renaming it to the "Missouri State Loan Repayment Program (MOSLRP)" and adding to the program individuals who have graduated from an accredited graduate training program in a discipline designated by the Department of Health and Senior Services. Current law requires that a person be enrolled as either a full-time medical student, dental student, or chiropractic student, and be in the final year of course study, or that a person be licensed to practice in these fields, in order to be eligible to participate in the program. This provision and the designation for an area in need of chiropractic services are repealed and replaced with the requirements that the person be authorized to practice as any type of health professional and not practice in an area of defined need. The act requires that 35% of the annual appropriated funds that are allocated to this loan repayment program be designated for awards to primary care physicians and general dentists, and unused portions of those designated funds shall be made available in the same fiscal year to the other types of health professions designated by the Department. Current law establishes liability to the state for individuals who have entered into written contracts with the Department and either fail to maintain an acceptable level of academic standing, voluntarily terminate enrollment, or are dismissed from the institution. Such persons are currently liable to the State for the amount that has been paid on their behalf under the contract. This act repeals that provision. These provisions are identical to HCS/HB 720 (2025) and provisions in SS#2/HB 419 (2025), SCS/HCS/HB 943 (2025), HCS/SS/SB 7 (2025), and HCS/SB 94 (2025), and are similar to SB 635 (2025). CHILD CARE FACILITY LICENSURE (Section 210.221) This act creates a process for the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to issue a temporary child care facility license to a child care provider to expand an existing site or to add a new location. The provider shall not be on probation, have a license revoked in the previous twelve months, or have a current letter of censure and shall complete any required background checks, safety and sanitation inspections, and staff training for the site being expanded or added. Temporary licenses issued under this provision shall be valid for no longer than twelve months or until the Department makes a final determination on full licensure. Prior to obtaining the temporary license, the provider shall have operated a child care facility for at least thirteen months. The new facility shall be subject to an inspection without notice within sixty days of opening. If the child care facility is an existing facility, but there is a change of ownership, such facility shall be subject to inspection without notice within 60 days of the change in ownership. Additionally, a child care license shall specify the effective dates of the license and whether it is temporary. This provision is identical to HCS/HBs 850, 53, & 482 (2025) and a provision in SCS/HB 834 (2025), and is similar to SB 568 (2025) and SB 571 (2025). LICENSE WAIVERS FOR SPOUSES OF MISSOURI LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS (Section 324.009) Current law requires an oversight body for professional licenses to waive any examination, educational, or experience requirements within 30 days for a resident military spouse or a nonresident military spouse and to issue such applicant a license if the applicant meets all other requirements. This act provides such waiver to resident and nonresident spouses of Missouri law enforcement officers, as such term is defined in the act. Additionally, this act repeals provisions relating to application to oversight bodies that have entered into licensing compacts. This provision is identical to provisions in CCS/HCS/SS/SBs 81 & 174 (2025), SS/SCS/HB 225 (2025), HCS/HB 268 (2025), HB 478 (2025), and HCS/HB 946 (2025), and is similar to SB 283 (2025) and a provision in SS/SB 61 (2025). LICENSING OF FUNERAL DIRECTORS AND EMBALMERS (Sections 333.041 and 333.042) This act modifies the process for obtaining a license to practice embalming and to practice funeral directing. This act provides that a practicum embalming student registrant may assist, under the direct supervision of a licensed embalmer, in a licensed funeral establishment after approval by the State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors ("Board"), but shall not assist when not under such supervision. In addition of the current requirements for an embalmer's license, this act provides that an applicant for an initial license to practice embalming shall furnish evidence that he or she has passed the National Board Examination Sciences, the Missouri Law Examination, and upon written request to the Board and if such person has not previously passed, the person may sit for the National Board Examination Arts. Additionally, the applicant shall provide evidence of employment in a qualifying embalmer apprentice program, as defined in the act, for no less than six months and has personally embalmed at least twenty-five dead human bodies under the supervision of a licensed embalmer, with the first twelve bodies embalmed under the direct supervision of a licensed embalmer. Additionally, this act repeals provisions regarding failure to complete the requirements for an embalmer's license in a five-year period, passage of a state examination administered by the Board for an embalmer's license, issuance of an embalmer's or funeral director's license by the Board, and waiver of any licensure requirements to certain individuals of a licensed funeral director because of sickness, mental incapacity, or injury. This act also provides licensure requirements for an initial license to practice funeral directing. An applicant for such license shall furnish evidence that he or she is eighteen years of age, possesses a high school diploma or equivalent thereof, and has either: (1) Completed a funeral service education program and received a passing score on the National Board Examination Arts and the Missouri Law Examination; or (2) Applied for a funeral director provisional license, completed a qualifying funeral director apprentice program, and: (a) Within twenty-four months, completes a twelve-month apprentice program under the personal supervision of a licensed funeral director in a licensed Missouri funeral establishment, which includes arranging and conducting ten funeral services, and receives a passing score on the National Board Examination Arts and the Missouri Law Examination; or (b) Within thirty-six months, completes an eighteen-month apprentice program under the personal supervision of a licensed funeral director in a licensed Missouri funeral establishment, which includes arranging and conducting twenty-five funeral services, and receives a passing score on the Missouri Law Examination. Additionally, this act repeals provisions regarding hours devoted as an apprentice for applicants of a funeral director license, passage of a state examination administered by the Board for a funeral director's license, failure to complete the requirements for an embalmer's license in a two-year period, and waiver of certain requirements for licensed embalmers seeking a funeral director license. A person seeking to obtain a funeral director limited license for work only in a cremation funeral establishment shall meet the qualifications as specified in the act. Additionally, such person shall be exempt from an apprenticeship program. Finally, this act provides that the Board may, at its discretion and upon written request, waive the funeral director licensure requirements for up to six months if there is an absence of a funeral director in charge due to the death or disability and there is no licensed funeral director available to fulfill the duties. The waiver may allow for a spouse, next of kin, personal representative, or conservator to conduct business until such time as a licensed funeral director can be obtained or arrangements for closure or sale of the funeral establishment, but the waiver shall not allow any services to be provided for which a formal funeral service education program is required. These provisions are identical to provisions in SCS/HB 834 (2025), HB 478 (2025), HCS/HB 268 (2025), HCS/SS/SB 61 (2025), HCS/HB 268 (2025), and HB 765 (2025), and are similar to SB 351 (2025) and to provisions in SB 1052 (2024), in SCS/HB 2280 (2024), HCS/HBs 2322 & 1774 (2024), SB 348 (2023), HB 629 (2023), HB 1491 (2022), HCS/SB 9 (2021), HCS/SB 330 (2021), SCS/HB 585 (2021), HCS/HB 724 (2021), HB 1349 (2021), and HB 2432 (2020). EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR SOCIAL WORKERS (Sections 337.600, 337.604, 337.615, 337.627, 337.628, 337.644, and 337.645) Currently, the educational requirements for licensure of certain social workers include receiving a baccalaureate or master's degree in social work from an accredited program approved by the Council on Social Work Education or receiving a doctorate or Ph.D. in social work. This act provides that such applicants may receive a master's degree in social work from a social work program either accredited by the Council on Social Work Education or recognized and approved by the State Committee for Social Workers as set forth in the act. These provisions are identical to provisions in SCS/HB 834 (2025), HCS/HB 268 (2025), HB 478 (2025), and HB 765 (2025), and are substantially similar to HB 216 (2025), HCS/HB 1533 (2024), and provisions in SCS/HB 2280 (2024). OLIVIA SHANNON