Date: January 27, 2026 To: Representative Don Mayhew and the Members of the House Corrections and Public Institutions Committee  From: Jerika White, Empower Missouri RE: Support for HB 2831 and HB 2695 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...Lee mas

Date: January 27, 2025 To: Chairwoman Gallick and Members, House Economic Development From: Mallory Rusch, Executive Director  Re: HB 2747 + HB 2047 We are thrilled to offer testimony in support of HB 2747 + HB 2047, which we’ll be referencing as Clean Slate legislation. Our nation’s criminal justice system was conceived and implemented long...Lee mas

Facts and rhetoric are frequently misaligned when it comes to anti-poverty policy. This is especially true in the criminal justice arena, where public perceptions of crime have always been more important to policymakers than what the evidence shows. This translates to policies that are fear-based, rather than evidence-based: longer prison sentences for more offenses, more...Lee mas

House Bill 2256 and House Bill 2637 would drastically increase minimum prison terms in our state, keeping people behind bars for significantly longer. Research shows that this will increase costs with no reduction in crime. Please use this form to urge the members of the Missouri House Judiciary Committee to vote no on expanding prison sentences.Lee mas

House Bill 1616 and House Bill 2832 establish an oversight body for Missouri prisons that is independent, responsible to incarcerated people and their families, and fully staffed and funded. The House Corrections and Public Institutions Committee held a hearing on these bills on Thursday, February 26th, and our legislators need to hear that Missourians want...Lee mas

Date: January 27, 2026 To: Representative Don Mayhew and the Members of the House Corrections and Public Institutions Committee  From: Christine Woody, Food Security Policy Manager, Empower Missouri RE: Support for HB 2751 My name is Christine Woody and I am the Food Security Policy Manager at Empower Missouri. Empower Missouri is a statewide non-profit organization...Lee mas

Date: January 20, 2026 To: Representative Jones, Chairwoman, and Members of the House Children and Families Committee From: Gwen Smith-Moore, Criminal Justice Policy Manager, Empower Missouri RE: Opposition to HB 2498 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...Lee mas

Date: January 12, 2026 To: Representative Mayhew, Chairman, and Members of the House Corrections and Public Institutions Committee From: Gwen Smith-Moore, Criminal Justice Policy Manager, Empower Missouri Re: Support for HB 2302 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...Lee mas

Below is a quick summary of key issues for Empower Missouri in the upcoming legislative session. If you would like to learn more, please register for our Legislative Preview webinar on December 16th from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.  We’re just four weeks away from the start of the 2026 Missouri legislative session. Prefiling began...Lee mas

Hear from Rev. Dr. Cassandra Gould (she/her/hers), the Director of Cultural and Political Engagement for Faith in Action, about the need for Clean Slate in our state! Why do you believe Clean Slate to be an important and necessary policy solution for Missouri?  As a Black faith leader, I believe Clean Slate is essential because...Lee mas