It’s the third week of May, which means that you’re hearing crickets from hundreds of lobbyists and advocates across the state who are taking a much deserved break after working many late nights over the last three weeks as the Missouri legislature hurtled towards its inevitable close at 6PM last Friday night. Due to widening...Read More

(JEFFERSON CITY, MO)…After decades on the books, Missouri lawmakers have finally passed legislation to update the criminal codes dealing with the prosecution of people living with HIV.  The legislation, introduced by Senator Holly Rehder (R-27) and Representative Phil Christofanelli (R-105), rewrites Missouri’s HIV-specific criminal laws. The bill would lower the penalties under the HIV exposure...Read More

(JEFFERSON CITY, MO)…Empower Missouri is celebrating the passage of legislation that will expand access to a time-sensitive HIV medication. Senator Greg Razer (D-Jackson County, Senate District 07) and Representative Phil Christofanelli (R-St. Peters, House District 105) introduced the legislation in their respective chambers, supported by Empower Missouri & the Missouri HIV Justice Coalition. The legislation...Read More

Missouri has an HIV criminalization problem. Under current Missouri law, if someone knows they are living with HIV but does not disclose their status before engaging in certain activities considered to be “exposure”— some of which don’t carry any risk of transmission — they can be charged with a class B felony, punishable by five...Read More

We have come a long way in what we know about HIV treatment and transmission since the HIV/AIDS epidemic began 40 years ago. In terms of health, an HIV diagnosis today largely means continuing to lead an ordinary life with regular treatment and monitoring. With one pill a day, we can now reduce the level...Read More

Next Monday, health-related committees in both the Missouri House & Senate will hear testimony on nearly identical bills to significantly modernize our state’s HIV criminalization laws.  For the last three years, Empower Missouri has been home to the Missouri HIV Justice Coalition. This coalition is led by People Living with HIV (PLHIV), their service providers,...Read More

Missouri lawmakers returned to the Capitol in Jefferson City on January 6th with challenges posed by an ongoing pandemic. The Missouri legislative session began at noon last Wednesday with a new General Assembly; eleven newly-elected Senators and six returning Senators were sworn into office. In the house, 161 Representatives took the oath of office. With...Read More

More than three decades ago, my biological parents tested positive for HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) and were diagnosed with AIDS in the late 80s and mid-90s. My dad’s death came first in 1989, followed by my mom’s death in 1994, just two years before breakthroughs toward truly effective treatments were achieved in 1996. Every day,...Read More

For Immediate Release December 2, 2020 (JEFFERSON CITY, MO…) On World AIDS Day, 2020, a bipartisan group of Missouri legislators held a 1 p.m. virtual press conference via Zoom and Facebook to announce the filing of legislation aimed at ending transmission of HIV in our state. They were joined by People Living with HIV and...Read More

Empower Missouri has fought for all Missourians to have basic human needs and equal justice since 1901, and there have undoubtedly been many challenges to address throughout those decades. But 2020 has been an historic year in which wave upon wave of crisis arrived, putting stress on government, community, household, and our staff and volunteer...Read More