MISSOURI AS A MODEL EMPLOYER SECTION 37.980)

The act requires the Office of Administration to submit a report to the General Assembly each year before December 31 regarding the progress made by the state with regards to the "Missouri as a Model Employer" initiative created by Executive Order 19-16.

This provision is identical to a provision in the truly agreed to and finally passed CCS/HCS/SS/SCS/SBs 45 & 90 (2023), the truly agreed to and finally passed HCS/SS/SCS/SB 106 (2023), the perfected HCS/HB 719 (2023), and HB 674 (2023) and substantially similar to HB 616 (2023), SB 978 (2020), and HB 2358 (2020).

TICKET TO WORK HEALTH ASSURANCE PROGRAM (SECTION 208.146)

The Ticket to Work Health Assurance Program provides medical assistance through MO HealthNet for employed disabled persons who meet certain qualifications, including asset limits and earned, net, and gross income calculations. Under current law, disabled individuals whose income exceeds one hundred percent of the federal poverty level (FPL) pay a premium for participation in the program. If an eligible person's employer offers employer-sponsored health insurance and the Department of Social Services determines the employer-sponsored insurance is more cost effective, the Department will instead pay that person's costs for the employer-sponsored health insurance.

This act changes the program in the following ways: (1) excludes retirement accounts from asset limit calculations; (2) modifies the income calculation from a net/gross calculation to a broader definition that would consider income for those disabled persons with incomes up to 250% FPL, with earned income of the disabled worker from 250 to 300% FPL disregarded, and retaining the requirement that persons with incomes over 100% FPL pay a premium; (3) removes all earned income of the disabled worker from the list of disregards in income determinations; (4) adds to the list of disregards the first $50,000 of earned income of a spouse; (5) if the Department elects to pay the person's costs of employer-sponsored health insurance, MO HealthNet assistance shall be provided as a secondary or supplemental policy for only personal care assistance services and non-emergency medical transportation; and (6) the Department shall provide an annual report to the General Assembly concerning the number of participants and outreach and education efforts.

This provision is identical to provisions in the truly agreed to and finally passed CCS/HCS/SS/SCS/SBs 45 & 90 (2023), the truly agreed to and finally passed HCS/SS/SCS/SB 106 (2023), the perfected HCS/HB 719 (2023), and HB 194 (2023), substantially similar to SB 773 (2022), HB 1927 (2022), SB 607 (2021), SB 629 (2020), SB 432 (2019), and the perfected SS/SB 699 (2018), and similar to HB 1527 (2018), SCS/SB 203 (2017), and SB 925 (2016).

MISSOURI EMPLOYMENT FIRST ACT (SECTION 209.700)

The act also creates the Missouri Employment First Act, which requires state agencies that provide employment-related services or that provide services or support to persons with disabilities to:

· Develop collaborative relationships with each other, confirmed by a written memorandum of understanding signed by each such state agency;

· Implement coordinated strategies to promote competitive integrated employment including, but not limited to, coordinated service planning, job exploration, increased job training, and internship opportunities;

· Implement an employment first policy by considering competitive integrated employment as the first and preferred outcome when planning or providing services or supports to persons with disabilities who are of working age;

· Offer information on competitive integrated employment to all working-age persons with disabilities. The information offered shall include an explanation of the relationship between a person's earned income and his or her public benefits, information on Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) accounts, and information on accessing assistive technology;

· Ensure that persons with disabilities receive the opportunity to understand and explore education and training as pathways to employment, including postsecondary, graduate, and postgraduate education; vocational and technical training; and other training. State agencies shall not be required to fund any education or training unless otherwise required by law;

· Promote the availability and accessibility of individualized training designed to prepare a person with a disability for the person's preferred employment;

· Promote partnerships with private agencies that offer supported employment services, if appropriate;

· Promote partnerships with employers to overcome barriers to meeting workforce needs with the creative use of technology and innovation;

· Ensure that staff members of public schools, vocational service programs, and community providers receive the support, guidance, and training that they need to contribute to attainment of the goal of competitive integrated employment for all persons with disabilities;

· Ensure that competitive integrated employment, while the first and preferred outcome when planning or providing services or supports to persons with disabilities who are of working age, is not required of a person with a disability to secure or maintain public benefits for which the person is otherwise eligible; and

· At least once each year, discuss basic information about competitive integrated employment with the parents or guardians of a youth with a disability. If the youth with a disability has been emancipated, state agencies shall discuss this information with the youth with a disability. The information offered shall include an explanation of the relationship between a person's earned income and his or her public benefits, information about ABLE accounts, and information about accessing assistive technology.

These provisions are identical to provisions in the truly agreed to and finally passed CCS/HCS/SS/SCS/SBs 45 & 90 (2023),the truly agreed to and finally passed HCS/SS/SCS/SB 106 (2023), the perfected HCS/HB 719 (2023), and HB 674 (2023).

SCOTT SVAGERA