Criminal Justice Archives - Empower Missouri

Testimony in Support of HB 1872 – Establishment of the Survivors Justice Act

Date: March 31, 2026 To: Representative Jones, Chairman, and Members of the House Children and Families Committee From: Gwen Smith-Moore, Criminal Justice Policy Manager, Empower…

Advocates Book Club: The Privatization of Everything

Reading is more fun with a friend! Share this information with some book buddies. On Wednesday, June 17th, from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m., join Empower Missouri…

Testimony in Opposition of SB 888 – Increase Prosecutor Involvement in Youth Certification

Date: March 10, 2026 To: Chairman Mayhew and Members, Corrections and Public Institutions Committee From: Gwen Smith-Moore, Criminal Justice Policy Manager,…

EmPOWER to the People: Community Justice

Part of our 125th anniversary celebrations, our EmPOWER to the People series is a virtual opportunity to gather with like-minded individuals from around Missouri and…

Testimony in Opposition of SB 1294, SB 894, & SB 882 – Instating Mandatory Minimum Percentages

Date: February 18, 2026 To: Chairman Schroer and Members, Senate Judiciary Committee From: Mallory Rusch, Executive Director, Empower Missouri As the largest and oldest anti-poverty…

Testimony in Support for SB 854 and SB 1494 – Clean Slate Access to Record Sealing Legislation

Date: February 18, 2026 To: Chairman Schroer and Members, Senate Judiciary Committee From: Mallory Rusch, Executive Director Re: SB 854 and SB 1494 We are…

Testimony in Support for HB 2592, HB 2834, and HB 2787 – Restoration of Voting Rights

February 2, 2026 To: Chairman Don Mayhew and Members of the Corrections and Public Institutions Committee From: Gwen Smith-Moore, Empower Missouri RE: Support for HB…

The Charles Ellwood Graduate Fellowship

The Charles Ellwood Graduate Fellowship program, named for one of Empower Missouri’s founders and earliest Presidents, will offer 1-2 recent graduates a fully immersive, year-long,…

Testimony in Opposition of HB 2256 – Expansion of Mandatory Minimums

Date: January 28, 2026 To: Chairwoman Parker and Members, House Judiciary Committee From: Gwen Smith-Moore, Criminal Justice Policy Manager, Empower Missouri RE: Opposition to HB…

Testimony in Opposition of HB 2637 – Expansion of Mandatory Minimums