Establishes the "Compassionate Assistance for Rape Emergencies (CARE) Act"
Summary
HB979 establishes the “Compassionate Assistance for Rape Emergencies (CARE) Act” and adds two new sections to Missouri law governing care for sexual assault victims. The bill defines key terms such as emergency care for sexual assault victims, emergency contraception, healthcare facility, sexual assault, and sexual assault victim. It applies to hospitals and certain affiliated healthcare facilities that provide emergency care to sexual assault victims.
The bill sets a standard of care requiring hospitals and covered healthcare facilities to orally inform sexual assault victims of the option to receive emergency contraception, to provide the complete regimen of emergency contraception immediately if requested, and to provide screening and treatment for sexually transmitted infections. It also directs the Department of Health and Senior Services to adopt rules to implement the law, with those rules subject to Missouri’s administrative rulemaking procedures.
Impact
HB979 would create new statutory duties for hospitals and certain healthcare facilities in Missouri that provide emergency care to sexual assault victims. It would require immediate access to emergency contraception upon request and mandate oral notice of that option, while also requiring STI screening and treatment. The bill would therefore affect hospital protocols, emergency department practices, and state health department rulemaking authority under chapter 191 and chapter 536, RSMo.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and available context, the measure appears to be framed as a victim-support and healthcare-access bill, with a generally protective and public-health-oriented purpose. No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no documented floor or committee debate to indicate broader legislative support or opposition. The caption and statutory design suggest the bill was intended to standardize care for sexual assault survivors rather than create a controversial new policy area.
Contention
The main potential points of contention are likely to involve the mandated standard of care for hospitals and healthcare facilities, especially the requirement to provide emergency contraception immediately upon request and to orally inform victims of that option. Some stakeholders may raise concerns about implementation costs, facility compliance, or the scope of the mandate for affiliated urgent care settings. Another possible area of debate is the interaction between the bill’s requirements and existing medical, ethical, or institutional policies, though no specific objections are documented in the provided materials.