February 18, 2026 To: Representative Stinnett, and Members, House Health and Mental Health Committee From: Amanda Berry, Food Security Policy Manager, Empower Missouri Re: Support for HB 2355 Empower Missouri is the state’s largest anti-poverty advocacy organization, working across rural and urban communities to advance policies that promote economic stability, affordability, and opportunity for Missouri...Lee mas

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 thrilled to offer testimony in support of SB 854 and SB 1494. Our nation’s criminal justice system was conceived and implemented long before the internet became an integral component of...Lee mas

February 11, 2026 To: Senator Brown and Members, Senate Economic Workforce and Development Committee From: Amanda Berry, Food Security Policy Manager, Empower Missouri Re: Support for SB 1239 Empower Missouri is the state’s largest anti-poverty advocacy organization, working across rural and urban communities to advance policies that promote economic stability, affordability, and opportunity for Missouri...Lee mas

Date: February 11, 2026 To: Chairman Hinman and Members, Local Government Committee From: Erica Robbins, Affordable Housing Policy Manager, Empower Missouri Re: Support for HB 2898 Founded in 1901, Empower Missouri is the largest anti-poverty advocacy organization in the state. As part of our work, we organize a statewide Affordable Housing Coalition. This coalition is...Lee mas

Date: February 9, 2026 To: Committee Chair Brad Christ, and members of the House Emerging Issues Committee  From: Lucas Caldwell-McMillan, Chief of Policy Staff, Empower Missouri Re: Support for HB 2830 Founded in 1901, Empower Missouri is the largest anti-poverty advocacy organization in the state. As part of our work, we convene a statewide Affordable...Lee mas

January 28, 2026 To: Senator Brown and Members, Senate Economic Workforce and Development Committee From: Amanda Berry, Food Security Policy Manager, Empower Missouri Re: Support for SB 1017 Empower Missouri is the state’s largest anti-poverty advocacy organization, working across rural and urban communities to advance policies that promote economic stability, affordability, and opportunity for Missouri...Lee mas

Date: January 28, 2026To: Committee Chair Senator Ben Brown, and members of the Senate Economic and Workforce Development CommitteeFrom: Erica Robbins, Affordable Housing Policy Manager, Empower MissouriRe: Support for SB 1105 Founded in 1901, Empower Missouri is the largest anti-poverty advocacy organization in the state. As part of our work, we convene a statewide Affordable...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 establishes an oversight body for Missouri prisons that is independent, responsible to incarcerated people and their families, and fully staffed and funded. This bill will be heard in the House Corrections and Public Institutions Committee next week, and our legislators need to hear that Missourians want accountability and transparency for the Department...Lee mas