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 advocacy organization 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...Lee mas

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 2256 As the largest and oldest anti-poverty advocacy organization in our state, Empower Missouri is committed to improving the quality of life for all Missouri residents through advocacy. Since our...Lee mas

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 2637 As the largest and oldest anti-poverty advocacy organization in our state, Empower Missouri is committed to improving the quality of life for all Missouri residents through advocacy. Since our...Lee mas

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

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: 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: January 31st, 2024To: Representative Rudy Viet, Chairman, and Members of the House Committee on Corrections and Public InstitutionsFrom: Gwen Smith, Criminal Justice Policy Manager, Empower MissouriRE: Support for HB 2059 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