2025 Legislative Session Recap

The 2025 Missouri legislative session ended last week with some controversy and tension as the Senate invoked Previous Question, or “PQ”, to cut off debate.…

A chance to make real change in Missouri

January 11, 2019 Dear Advocate, What does it take to pass improved public policy in Missouri, including reforming old laws that were ill-conceived that have…

Connection, Learning and Progress: The 2024 Week of Action

It was a busy but inspiring week for Empower Missouri: our 2024 Week of Action! Throughout the week we offered three virtual training sessions (recordings…

Deep Federal Medicaid Cuts Will Eliminate Coverage, Increase Health Care Costs, and Jeopardize Rural Health

Submitted by: Traci Gleason | Vice President, External Relations at Missouri Budget Project Note: This morning (July 1st), the U.S. Senate passed the reconciliation bill,…

Empower Missouri is Proud to Join The Right Time Initiative

Beginning in January 2022, Empower Missouri is proud to announce that we’ll be joining The Right Time Initiative as a community mobilization partner.  The Right…

Empowering You February 2019 Newsletter

Read and download the full Newsletter below, or choose a specific story from the list.

Empowering You May 2019 Newsletter

Read and download the full Newsletter below, or choose a specific story from the list.

Empowering You Newsletter | June 2019

Eviction: A Cause or Condition of Poverty?

Matthew Desmond describes eviction as both a cause and a condition of poverty. What does that mean, and how should Missouri respond? First, it is…

Gov. Parson calls special session to address FRA

The Missouri legislature will return to Jefferson City at noon today for a special session called yesterday by Governor Mike Parson.  Here’s a quick rundown…

Historic Debate on HIV Modernization

The House Committee Substitute (HCS) of House Bills 167 & 166 was debated on the House floor on Tuesday afternoon. You know from our Weekly…

HIV Modernization bills introduced by bi-partisan team of legislators

I really couldn’t have imagined the hearing going any better. The room was packed, standing-room-only in the gallery, nearly every one of the 19 (!)…

HIV Modernization is a top priority in this legislative session

If you follow our work, you are likely aware that one of our policy priorities this year is to modernize Missouri’s outdated, medically inaccurate, stigmatizing…

House committee holds hearing on Medicaid enrollment

Think about a great customer experience you had recently. For me, it was when I was shipped the wrong-sized winter boots. I called the company…

How to get involved with the Missouri Medicaid Expansion ballot initiative

More than 200,000 Missouri workers are in the “coverage gap,” unable to afford insurance through the Marketplace of the Affordable Care Act and unable to…

Legislative Session Update

The major take-away for me from the 2019 Legislative Session is the importance of working in coalition with others for evidence-based public policies. Empower Missouri…

Making Self-Care/Workplace-Care Part of Our COVID-19 Conversation & Survival Plan

Empower Missouri Advocacy Family, Midday last Friday, Gov. Mike Parson declared a State of Emergency as the first cases of COVID-19 were diagnosed in Missouri.…

Michael Johnson’s release from prison presents an opportunity for HIV education – Molly Pearson

Michael Johnson was released from Booneville Correctional Center on Tuesday, July 9th, 25 years before his expected release date. “Leaving prison is such a great…

Minimum Wage is on the Ballot in Missouri: Key Points to Consider

As an organization dedicated to securing basic human needs for all Missourians through policy change, Empower Missouri supports living wages for our state’s workers. On…

Missouri Health Care Subcommittee Holds Hearing on Medicaid

On Tuesday, October 8th, The Subcommittee on Health Care Reform held a hearing for “Discussion on Medicaid and Medicaid expansion.” Rep. Helms from District 135…

Nutrition Access for All – Two Ways We’re Working to Protect Missourians at Risk

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…

Red tape hurts families using Medicaid and CHIP

Missouri children rely on Medicaid and CHIP for health insurance. Medicaid and CHIP coverage is beneficial to children’s health and has positive economic impacts. Healthy…

Reflections from the Griot

On Saturday, May 11th, The Griot Black History Museum in St Louis hosted a Community Prayer Breakfast to honor and recognize the caregivers and the…

Testimony in Opposition to HJR 154 – Medicaid Work Requirements

Date: January 13th, 2026To: Chair Pollitt and Members, House Legislative Review CommitteeFrom: Lucas Caldwell-McMillan, Chief of Policy Staff, Empower MissouriRe: Our opposition to HJR 154…

Testimony in Support of HB 1918 & HB 2626 – Medicaid Coverage for Hearing Aids

Date: February 12th, 2024To: Chairman Haden and Members, House Healthcare ReformFrom: Mallory Rusch, Executive Director, Empower MissouriRe: Our support for HB 1918 and HB 2626…

Testimony in Support of HB 2190

Date: January 16th, 2024 To: Representative Haden and Members, House Committee on Healthcare Reform From: Mallory Rusch, Executive Director at Empower Missouri Re: Our support…

Testimony in Support of HB 398 – Annual Supply Birth Control

Date: February 25, 2025 To: Representative Stinnett and Members, House Committee on Health & Mental Health From: Mallory Rusch, Executive Director, Empower Missouri Re: Our…

Testimony in Support of HB 82 – Establishing Treatment Court Programs

Date: March 5th, 2025 To: Rep. Parker and members of the House Judiciary CommitteeFrom: Gwen Smith, Criminal Justice Policy Manager, Empower MissouriRe: Our Support for HB…

Testimony in Support of SB 1370 – Creating Mental Health Treatment Courts

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,…

Testimony: Trends in Medicaid Enrollment, Causes of Those Trends, and Suffering Created in Missouri Households by Loss of Medicaid

Below is an unedited version of the Testimony submitted by Empower Missouri's Executive Director at a hearing regarding the hundreds of thousands of Missourians dropped…

The MO Minimum Wage Just Went Up Again– But Is It Enough?

In 2018, Missourians resoundingly passed a phased increase to the minimum wage to $12/hour over five years. When the bill passed, it was estimated that…

What Happens in D.C. Does Not Stay in D.C.

This week, committees in the U.S. House of Representatives released major reconciliation proposals with cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, and other programs. As the title suggests,…

When health policy hits home

I frequently speak to Missourians about the work that Empower Missouri does and provide training on legislative advocacy. In these conversations, I often talk about…

Wrapping Up the 2023 Legislative Session

The 2023 legislative session will end today at 6PM, so there’s only a few hours remaining for the legislature to pass any final bills before…