Includes occupational therapists in the list of health care providers authorized to issue physician's statements for the issuance of disabled placards and license plates
HB 1048 revises Missouri’s disabled license plate and windshield placard law by repealing and reenacting section 301.142. The bill primarily expands the list of “other authorized health care practitioners” who may sign the physician’s statement needed to obtain disabled plates or placards by adding occupational therapists to the existing list of advanced practice registered nurses, physician assistants, chiropractors, podiatrists, assistant physicians, physical therapists, and optometrists. It also updates related definitions and administrative provisions governing who may certify disability, what documentation must be retained, and how the Department of Revenue verifies licensure and administers the program.
The bill preserves the existing framework for disabled plates and placards, including eligibility standards, temporary and removable placards, renewal rules, fees, reciprocity with other jurisdictions, and penalties for misuse or fraud. It continues to allow certain applicants to obtain plates or placards based on permanent disability, temporary disability, or vehicle use by a disabled household member, while maintaining restrictions on transferability and use. The bill also retains the special rule that age alone cannot be used to determine disability, except for the existing renewal exemption for applicants age 75 or older.
In practical terms, HB 1048 would affect the Department of Revenue, health care practitioners authorized to certify disabilities, and Missouri residents seeking disabled parking credentials. By adding occupational therapists to the list of practitioners who may issue qualifying statements, the bill could make the application process more accessible for some applicants, especially those whose functional limitations are evaluated or treated by occupational therapists. It also reinforces recordkeeping and oversight requirements for practitioners and the department.
The general sentiment reflected in the bill text and caption is administrative and supportive rather than controversial: the measure appears aimed at modernizing and broadening access to disability certification without changing the core eligibility rules. No committee transcript or vote history is provided, so there is no recorded floor or committee debate to indicate broader opposition or support. The main point of potential contention is the expansion of certification authority to another provider type, which may raise questions about scope of practice and the adequacy of disability documentation, but the bill also addresses that concern by limiting practitioners to conditions they are legally authorized to diagnose and treat.
Overall, HB 1048 is a targeted technical update to Missouri’s disabled parking credential statutes, with the most notable policy change being the inclusion of occupational therapists among authorized certifiers.
HB 1048 would amend section 301.142, RSMo, governing disabled license plates and windshield placards. The bill expands the class of health care professionals who may issue the required physician’s statement to include occupational therapists, while preserving the existing eligibility criteria, application procedures, renewal rules, fees, fraud penalties, and Department of Revenue oversight. It would affect applicants for disabled plates/placards, certifying practitioners, and the Department of Revenue’s verification and recordkeeping duties.
The bill appears generally favorable and administrative in nature, with no recorded votes or committee testimony indicating opposition. Its purpose is framed as a narrow access and modernization change: allowing occupational therapists to certify disability-related applications within their scope of practice. The overall tone of the measure suggests support for easing administrative barriers for disabled Missourians while maintaining existing safeguards against misuse.
The main possible point of contention is the expansion of certification authority to occupational therapists, which could prompt questions about scope of practice, consistency of disability determinations, and fraud prevention. The bill addresses this by limiting all non-physician practitioners to conditions they are legally authorized to diagnose and treat and by retaining documentation, verification, and penalty provisions. No specific opponents or supporters are identified in the available materials.