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 inception, Empower Missouri has focused on the criminal justice system and its impacts. Our Community Justice Coalition consists of community advocates and organizations from across the...Lee mas

Date: March 11, 2024To: Chairman Luetkemeyer and Members, Senate Judiciary CommitteeFrom: Gwen Smith, Criminal Justice Policy Manager, Empower MissouriRe: SB 951 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 our inception, Empower Missouri has focused on...Lee mas

There are many ways in which the anti-poverty issues that Empower Missouri works on intersect. Repealing the SNAP ban for people with past drug felony convictions has been a core advocacy issue for the Food Security Coalition and Community Justice Coalition for many years, and we are excited to report on some major bill movements...Lee mas

Date: February 26, 2024To: Sen. Tony Leutkemeyer, and members of the Senate Judiciary and Civil and Criminal  Jurisprudence CommitteeFrom: Gwen Smith, Criminal Justice Policy Manager, Empower MissouriRe: Our support for SB 1370 Founded in 1901, Empower Missouri advocates for the well-being of Missourians through civic leadership, education, and research. As part of our work, we...Lee mas

Date: February 21, 2024To: Chairman Evans and Members, House Judiciary CommitteeFrom: Gwen Smith, Criminal Justice Policy Manager, Empower MissouriRe: HB 1655 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 our inception, Empower Missouri has focused on...Lee mas

Date: February 21, 2024To: Chairman Evans and Members, House Judiciary CommitteeFrom: Gwen Smith, Criminal Justice Policy Manager, Empower MissouriRe: HB 1693 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 our inception, Empower Missouri has focused on...Lee mas

Date: February 22, 2024To: Chairman Lane Roberts and Members of the House Crime Prevention and Public Safety CommitteeFrom: Gwen Smith, Criminal Justice Policy Manager, Empower MissouriRe: Support for HB 1545 Empower Missouri has been committed for over 120 years to improving the quality of life for all Missouri residents through advocacy and policy change. Since...Lee mas

Date: February 21st, 2024To: Chairman Viet, and Members of the House Corrections and Public Institutions CommitteeFrom: Gwen Smith, Criminal Justice Policy Manager, Empower MissouriRe: Our support for HB 2169 and HB 1679 Founded in 1901, Empower Missouri advocates for the well-being of Missourians through civic leadership, education, and research. As part of our work, we...Lee mas

Date: February 20th, 2024To: Representative Hannah Kelley, Chairwoman, and Members of the House Committee on Children and FamiliesFrom: Gwen Smith, Criminal Justice Policy Manager, Empower MissouriRe: Support for HB 1996 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...Lee mas

For the last few years, I have written about the topic of local control as it pertains to the St. Louis City and Kansas City Police Departments, pushing back against state legislators who want to take control of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and expand their control over the Kansas City Police Department. However,...Lee mas