Date: March 12, 2025 To: Chairman Don Mayhew and Members of the Corrections and Public Institutions Committee From: Mallory Rusch, Executive Director, Empower Missouri Re: Support for HB 617 and Restoring Voting Rights Empower Missouri has been committed for over 120 years to improving the quality of life for all Missouri residents through advocacy and...Read More

In this year’s State of the State address, our new Governor, Mike Kehoe urged legislators to pass a “comprehensive crime bill that includes increasing penalties for crimes like violent rioting and fleeing from law enforcement in a vehicle, cracking down on criminals who participate in reckless stunt driving and street racing, and efforts to increase...Read More

Date: February 25, 2025 To: Representative Stinnett and Members, House Committee on Health & Mental Health From: Mallory Rusch, Executive Director, Empower Missouri Re: Our support for HB 398 Empower Missouri is the largest and oldest anti-poverty non-profit in our state. We view the experience of poverty holistically, with impacts in all areas of an...Read More

Date: January 27, 2025 To: Chairman Schroer and Members, Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence Committee From: Mallory Rusch, Executive Director, Empower Missouri Re: SB 19 As the largest and oldest anti-poverty advocacy agency in our state, Empower Missouri is committed to improving the quality of life for all Missouri residents through advocacy. Since our...Read More

Date: January 22, 2025 To: Chairman Myers and Members of the House Committee on Crime and Public Safety From: Mallory Rusch, Executive Director, Empower Missouri Re: Our opposition to HB 495 On behalf of the staff, board, and statewide Criminal Justice Coalition convened by Empower Missouri, I am here today to oppose HB 495. I...Read More

Date: January 21, 2025 To: Chairman Black and Members, Senate Local Government, Elections and Pensions From: Mallory Rusch, Executive Director, Empower Missouri Re: Our support for SB 50 As the largest and oldest anti-poverty non-profit in our state, Empower Missouri is committed to improving the quality of life for all Missouri residents through advocacy. Since...Read More

Today’s Weekly Perspective is a copy of a speech that I delivered earlier today at our Anti-Poverty Advocates Summit, Empower Missouri’s 123rd annual conference in Missouri. It has been lightly edited and is much longer than our typical blog posts.  One week ago, Americans elected former President Donald Trump to a second term in office....Read More

With the November election less than one month away, it seems likely that you’re being inundated with news and opinions related to upcoming federal, state, and local elections. In Missouri, voters will have the opportunity to weigh in on five amendments to Missouri’s constitution. You have likely seen three of these amendments—Amendment 2 (legalizing sports...Read More

This month represents the start of a new fiscal year for Empower Missouri, and the start of a new strategic plan. The new plan was created using the insights and ideas of hundreds of community partners, board members, staff members, and other Empower Missouri stakeholders, and I couldn’t be more excited about the journey that...Read More

On Friday, the 2024 Missouri Legislative Session closed with little fanfare, a fitting end to a session where little work was accomplished. The legislation passed a grand total of 28 bills (excluding the 18 appropriation bills), a total significantly lower than last year’s previous record low of 41 bills and even lower than the shutdown-plagued...Read More