Governor Kehoe Joins United WE to Celebrate New Law Removing Barriers to Work

HB 2974 makes it easier for qualified professionals from across state lines to get licensed and put their skills to work in Missouri, including health care workers providing telehealth

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Sept. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe joined United WE – a nonpartisan think-and-do tank working to strengthen the economy by increasing women's labor force participation – at its Kansas City headquarters for a ceremonial signing of House Bill 2974 (HB 2974). The bill was formally signed into law on July 13 and effective August 28. Missouri House Speaker Dr. Jon Patterson and Rep. Sherri Gallick also attended and spoke at the event.

The new law shortens the wait for qualified professionals licensed in other states to begin working in Missouri.

Missouri has recognized out-of-state professional licenses since 2018, including for military spouses. HB 2974 builds on that foundation in two ways:

• Telehealth. The law resolves a question the old statute left open: a health care provider who receives a Missouri license based on an out-of-state license is fully licensed here, including to treat Missouri patients by telehealth.
   
• Three more interstate licensing agreements. Missouri has joined nine health care licensing compacts since 2016, covering everyone from nurses and physical therapists to counselors and EMTs. HB 2974 adds physician assistants, athletic trainers and dietitians, bringing the total to twelve. Professions without a compact are still covered by Missouri's general recognition law.

HB 2974 builds on Missouri's broader efforts to reduce barriers to licensed work. The Archbridge Institute's 2026 State Occupational Licensing Index ranks Missouri as having the lowest occupational licensing burden in the country, with Kansas second-lowest. The new law continues that focus by making it easier for qualified professionals to put existing credentials to work in Missouri.

HB 2974 was sponsored by Rep. Melanie Stinnett of Springfield and handled in the Senate by Sen. Jamie Burger of Benton. It cleared the House Professional Registration and Licensing Committee 21-0 and the Rules-Administrative Oversight Committee 6-0 before passing both chambers. United WE was among the organizations that testified in support of the bill in committee.

"As a small businessman at heart, my administration is always looking for ways to cut unnecessary red tape and get government out of the way for employers to thrive in Missouri," said Governor Mike Kehoe. "This legislation does just that by helping qualified professionals get to work faster, expanding opportunities for telehealth, and adding new interstate licensing compacts. I want to thank the Missouri General Assembly for getting this commonsense solution to my desk, and the many organizations like United WE that continue to support efforts to modernize occupational licensing."

Having to get a new professional license after a move can delay people from returning to work even when they are already qualified. That can be especially disruptive for military spouses, caregivers returning to the workforce and professionals pursuing new opportunities. United WE has studied these barriers and supported policy changes in multiple states aimed at improving license portability, streamlining requirements, and identifying where licensing requirements are necessary and where they can be modernized. Because women are especially likely to work in licensed or certified occupations, these barriers can have an outsized effect on their ability to enter, reenter or remain in the workforce. In 2025, 25.1% of employed women held a professional license, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

"A qualified professional who moves to Missouri should not have to spend months proving again that she can do a job she's already qualified to do," said Wendy Doyle, President and CEO of United WE. "Our research has shown that unnecessary licensing barriers can keep skilled people—especially women—from entering, reentering or advancing in the workforce. HB 2974 shows what can happen when research, policymakers and employers come together around a practical solution: remove the barrier without lowering the standard, and we are grateful to Governor Kehoe and to Rep. Stinnett and Sen. Burger for getting it done."

In 2025, United WE began a multi-year research initiative examining how occupational licensing barriers affect career mobility, entrepreneurship, and workforce access. In April 2026, United WE launched a national taskforce bringing together leaders from policy, research, and industry to identify additional opportunities to modernize Missouri's occupational licensing practices. This initiative is supported by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.

About United WE

United WE is a nonpartisan nonprofit think-and-do tank working to strengthen the economy and democracy by increasing women's labor force participation. For 35 years, United WE has turned data into action and action into measurable impact through research, policy and programs. Headquartered in Kansas City, United WE works deeply across Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas and Oklahoma and applies its research and solutions nationally. Learn more at united-we.org.

SOURCE United WE