Under The Dome with Empower Missouri

Clean Slate Breakthrough: Missouri House Votes 140–7

In this episode of "Under the Dome," Empower Missouri's policy team reports on recent action in Jefferson City across food security, criminal justice, and affordable housing. They cover committee votes on SNAP-related bills, hearings for "food is medicine" and a Restaurant Meals pilot, and the TANF cash-access proposal being stalled.
Guests celebrate the Clean Slate bill (HB 2747) passing the House, discuss closing the judicial override loophole, efforts to restore voting rights for people on supervision (HB 2592), new workforce housing and zoning proposals, and concerns about juvenile justice legislation and a proposed database.

A week of Too Many and Not Enough Hearings: The week of Feb 23rd 2026

Welcome to Under the Dome, an Empower Missouri update on our anti-poverty work in Jefferson City. This episode covers a chaotic three-bill hearing mixing SNAP and TANF issue including proposed harmful verification and cash-restriction measures. Erica testified in a hearing on rural workforce housing, and Rika presented in two hearings focused on independent corrections oversight. Finally, big momentum for Clean Slate after a major fiscal note reduction and upcoming fiscal review.

Anti-Poverty in the Building: Empower Missouri’s 2026 Day of Action

Empower Missouri’s Day of Action brought nearly 300 advocates to the state Capitol with partners Missouri Diaper Banks and the Missouri Coalition for ID Access. Our staff—both new and experienced—shared their expertise and met with lawmakers to advance key priorities.
Highlights include tenant union testimonies, justice advocates sharing reentry experiences, student groups experiencing advocacy firsthand, and action on Clean Slate, the Missouri Housing Trust Fund, ID access, and basic needs like nutritious food.
To partner or learn about Alliance membership and future events, contact us at EmpowerMissouri.org.

This Could Be the Year for Clean Slate — week of Feb 16th

Welcome to Under the Dome from Empower Missouri, focusing on anti-poverty policies in Jefferson City. This episode covers recent Clean Slate hearings and bipartisan support for automated record expungement. We discuss truth‑in‑sentencing and mandatory minimum bills with concerns about rising prison populations and parole transparency. Amanda testified in the Food Is Medicine hearing highlighting health and Medicaid savings. Progress was made on affordable housing through the Missouri Housing Trust Fund. Of course, Empower Missouri is always working on broader efforts to end poverty through evidence‑based policies.

The week of February 9th: Housing Trust Fund Hearing and What It Means

Host Sarah Owsley and Empower Missouri policy staff recap this week’s Jefferson City updates. They talk about the Missouri Housing Trust Fund hearing (HB 2830), testimony from housing and substance use disorder advocates, and local impacts discussed during committee testimony. The episode also covers opposition to grocery tax changes, food security policy priorities, and a preview of the upcoming Day of Action where advocates will meet lawmakers to push food-as-medicine bills and other anti-poverty measures. And there's another dog. 

Voting Rights, Clean Slate, and props for our Comms Team: The week that was Feb 2nd 2026

Empower Missouri’s update from Jefferson City centers on their anti-poverty agenda: advancing voting-rights restoration for people on probation or parole, building momentum for the Clean Slate expungement campaign, and pushing to increase funding for the Missouri Housing Trust Fund.
The episode highlights recent committee hearings, a voter-protection lobby day, a Clean Slate town hall, community testimony, and upcoming bill hearings—calling listeners to engage, contact lawmakers, and join the day of action. We've also got some more t-shirt ideas for you, all of them terrible. 

Week of Jan 26: Clean Slate Gains Momentum

Welcome to Under the Dome, an update from Empower Missouri on key happenings in Jefferson City focused on anti-poverty policy. This episode covers the strong Clean Slate hearing, efforts to eliminate the state grocery tax, concerns over proposed sales taxes on services, the SNAP ban for people with certain felony records, and debates around mandatory minimums and prison expansion. Staff discuss recent committee hearings, fiscal impacts, advocacy events, and upcoming actions to support fair, evidence-based policies.

Week of Jan 19th: Juvenile Records, Certification, and Oversight

Empower Missouri's Under the Dome covers this weeks legislative developments with a focus on criminal legal reform and anti-poverty work. Hosts discuss a controversial juvenile justice bill that would create youth criminal-history databases and expand prosecutor involvement, and they explain concerns about youth certification and solitary confinement. They also preview a push for prison oversight (HB 1616) to create an independent Office of Transparency and Accountability, recap a screening of the documentary The Alabama Solution, and warn about proposed bills that would raise mandatory minimums and time-served percentages.
The episode closes with a brief budget update and calls for continued advocacy around youth privacy, prison transparency, and sentencing reform.

Missouri Eyes Prison Oversight and Reentry IDs

Welcome to Under the Dome: Empower Missouri’s weekly Jefferson City update focused on anti-poverty policy. Host Sarah Owsley and policy staff discuss reentry improvements like HB2302 to provide IDs and work documents at prison release, concerns about prison healthcare after a $3 million fine to the contractor Centurion, and growing calls for independent oversight of DOC.
They also cover affordable housing developments including a proposed tax credit for domestic violence survivors and opposition to a bill allowing landlords to apportion water/sewer bills to tenants. Finally, reactions to the governor’s State of the State.

Hope, Hustle, and Housing: Inside Empower Missouri’s 124th Summit

Empower Missouri staff and partners gather at the organization’s 124th annual summit to share memories, discuss anti-poverty policy priorities, and build connections across coalitions focused on housing, criminal justice, and food security.
Hear highlights from some of our staff around keynotes, breakout sessions, personal stories of engagement, and a renewed sense of hope and collective action for the year ahead.