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

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

Every year, bills are filed in Missouri that would increase prison sentences. Politicians’ commitment to being perceived as tough on crime is evergreen, as popular of a tactic now as it was in the 1980s with the rise of mass incarceration. This year, these types of bills have gained more traction than ever, with early...Lee mas

Date: February 26, 2025 To: Chairman Schroer and Members, Senate Judiciary Committee Re: SB 251, SB 281, and SB 449 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...Lee mas

Date: February 5, 2025 To: Chairman Myers and Members, House Crime and Public Safety Committee From: Mallory Rusch, Executive Director, Empower Missouri Re: HB 862 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,...Lee mas

Date: February 5, 2025 To: Chairman Myers and Members, House Crime and Public Safety Committee From: Mallory Rusch, Executive Director, Empower Missouri Re: HB 314 & HB 389 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....Lee mas