Rep. Dean Dohrman, a Republican, represents Johnson, Pettis, and Saline counties (District 51). He was elected to his first two-year term in November 2012. In addition to his legislative duties, Rep. Dohrman is an online professor. Rep. Dohrman is a member of Warrensburg and Sedalia Area Chamber of Commerce, and Sedalia Lions Club. He attends Wesley United Methodist Church. A graduate of LaMonte High, Rep. Dohrman earned his PhD from the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 2004. Born in Warrensburg, Rep. Dohrman currently lives in LaMonte.

Capitol Report June 28, 2018

Posted Friday, June 29, 2018, at 9:57 AM

Yesterday and today, I attended the Best in Midwest Summit hosted by the Missouri Department of Economic Development and the Missouri Department of Higher Education. The summit is being held at various venues around the state and includes several Missouri businesses and leaders eager to transform Missouri into a top state for economic and workforce development. The summit showcased opportunities for growth in Missouri and detailed how Missouri compares to its Midwestern peers.

The statistics show a mixed bag for Missouri such as a good high school graduation rate, but then lagging in completion of higher certifications and degrees. Many attendees agreed that Missouri needs to increase opportunity through broadband expansion, place an emphasis on step-by-step educational achievement and life-long learning, and promote flexibility for the rapidly changing world of technology we live with today. These meetings provided critical insights for Missouri’s economic development and workforce strategy, and I look forward to working with the General Assembly and implementing these ideas in the near future!

Also, as promised I will continue to summarize Truly Agreed to and Finally Passed (TAFP) bills from this legislative session. All of these bills have been signed and delivered to the governor’s office. Bill review to determine signing or veto action will be one of the first duties of the new governor.

2018 Truly Agreed to and Finally Passed Bills

HB 1617 - Modifies provisions relating to telehealth

This bill specifies that the Department of Social Services shall reimburse providers for services provided through telehealth if the provider can ensure that services are rendered meeting the standard of care that would be expected if the services were rendered in person. Telehealth services are the delivery of health care using technology to communicate with a health care provider who is at a different location than the patient. Generally, reimbursement for telehealth services must be made in the same way as reimbursement for in-person contact. The bill specifies that before telehealth services can be provided

in a school, the parent or guardian of the child must give authorization. This bill clarifies that current statute authorizing a health care provider to provide telehealth services shall not be construed to prohibit a health carrier from reimbursing non- clinical staff for services otherwise allowed by law. This bill repeals several existing provisions relating to telehealth services within MO HealthNet.

HB 1625 - Establishes the Missouri Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program to provide low-income seniors with fresh, Missouri-grown produce

This bill establishes the "Missouri Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program." The Department of Agriculture, through a federal grant program with the USDA Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program, will provide low-income seniors at least 60 years of age or older with vouchers from county designated distribution sites that may be exchanged for eligible foods at farmers' markets, roadside stands, and community supported agricultural programs.

HB 1635 - Modifies mandated reporting requirements for sexual assault victims in long-term care facilities

This bill modifies provisions relating to the reporting of suspected abuse and neglect of a resident of a long-term care facility who is 60 years of age or older or an eligible adult. Currently, a report is required to be made to the Department of Health and Senior Services in the event of suspected abuse or neglect. The bill requires that in the event of suspected sexual assault of the resident, a report shall also be made to local law enforcement.

HB 1646 - Modifies provisions relating to landowners' obligation to control brush adjacent to county roads

This bill states that one purpose of the brush control law is to prevent brush from interfering with vehicles traveling on the road. If the county is required to take action to control the brush because the owner fails to do so, the county will extend the costs as a special tax due on the landowner's real and personal property tax assessment and will collect the costs in the same manner as state and county taxes. Notice that must be provided to the landowner of these requirements can be given in writing using any mail service with delivery tracking. The county right-of-way or county maintenance easement will be deemed to extend 15 feet from the center of the county road or at a distance set forth in the original conveyance. The center of the road will be a point equidistant from both edges of the drivable ground of the road in its current condition. In the event a county is required to obtain a land survey to enforce these provisions, the costs of the survey will be divided equally between the county and the land owner.

HB 1665 - Establishes a visiting scholars certificate of license to teach

This bill allows the State Board of Education to grant an initial visiting scholar certificate as a license to teach in public schools. The applicant must be employed in a content area in which the individual has an academic degree or professional experience. He or she may only teach classes for ninth grade or higher and the hiring school district must verify that the applicant will be employed as part of a business-education partnership initiative designed to build career pathways systems for students. The certificate will last for one year and the applicant can renew it a maximum of two times if certain requirements, as described within the bill, are met.

Travel Missouri This Summer: Elephant Rocks State Park

It is an honor to serve the 51st District in the Missouri House of Representatives. Each week I will issue a capitol report to keep you informed of activities in Jefferson City. Any concerns or issues you might have are of great interest to me. I look forward to your input and thoughts, so please feel free to contact me at any time if you have questions, concerns, or ideas to improve our state government and the quality of life for all Missourians. My telephone number is 573-751-2204 or you may contact me by email at dean.dohrman@house.mo.gov. Thank you for working with me to make Missouri a great place to live.