[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6335462,"mediaKeyId","2289419-b9ec9180a1e1af10c155267793ff95ae","parentId",2289419,"title","Committee hears broad criminal justice bill expanding SNAP access, banning most third‑trimester shackling and raising age for vulnerable witnesses","audioSeconds",1638,"startMs",249000,"endMs",1887000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2289419-b9ec9180a1e1af10c155267793ff95ae&start=249&end=1887","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2289419-b9ec9180a1e1af10c155267793ff95ae/thumbnail_249000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6335462/Missouri/Committee-hears-broad-criminal-justice-bill-expanding-SNAP-access-banning-most-thirdtrimester-shackling-and-raising-age-for-vulnerable-witnesses","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6335462-2bfa29ecfd847424ff16f8ca4a2e99a2/orig.mp4?Expires=1775810430&Signature=IuXZXvG4AKQs8p92TCBnRhiNVTEC676bA6~tfXWCnALN8n2OtJrgViilSd50wzRfal4spYKPZl5XfhlOAWiAL3-DJaTkM-Cnsu3hk1opGpVFVbPkQDD2lt3oajl4goC~LI12Duj6BwXB0hFhBPiGmD41UsLZMzwIrbVd~YdDsDvj-jX3WizN9J-EbSpAiMH9x-py59BHGLV0v1RKHeRSYtiqUd-yjnwMRs-~yViSK~VZnjOhEILaanZotcEe8kjBVhbLvDZ0D4mFFUv5OxqOY9X~LLlyFVJP6R3We4~Bpi1BKnbtKMp7LFHcMFFyyp2nkojUmo700sdN228MmWX90g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Missouri State Legislature","date","2025-02-11T00:00:00Z","article","Representative Chad Perkins, sponsor of House Bill 916, told the House Committee on Corrections and Public Institutions that the measure combines several changes: restoring Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) eligibility for some people with drug‑related felony convictions, prohibiting most shackling of women in the third trimester of pregnancy in county jails (a policy already adopted by the Department of Corrections for state prisons), and raising the age at which a crime victim is treated as a \"vulnerable person\" for testimony from 14 to 18.

\"It expands SNAP eligibility,\" Representative Chad Perkins told the committee as he described the bill's provisions. Perkins said he and others consider it inconsistent that people convicted of violent crimes may receive SNAP benefits on release while those convicted of nonviolent drug offenses are barred for life. He also described the anti‑shackling language as an extension of Department of Corrections policy to county jails and said he had consulted with sheriffs about acceptable language.

Supporters from a range of groups spoke in favor. Samuel Lee of Campaign Life Missouri applauded the anti‑shackling provisions as bipartisan follow‑up work tied to a recent prison nursery opening. Keith Denhollander, national field director for the Christian Coalition, supported both the SNAP changes and the shackling ban, arguing for second chances and human dignity. Patrick Plaine of the Nolan Center for Justice at the American Conservative Union framed the SNAP change as a public‑safety measure that reduces recidivism by removing barriers to reintegration.

Kim Buckman, director of advocacy and communications at Feeding Missouri, told the committee the SNAP lifetime ban deepens poverty and harms households: \"Hunger is a growing issue in Missouri with 15% of residents being food insecure, including nearly 250,000 children,\" she said, and added that the SNAP restrictions can affect families decades after a conviction.

Jeff Smith of Missouri Appleseed and other witnesses urged the committee to adopt the provisions; Smith noted the Department of Corrections had already enacted an anti‑shackling policy for state prisons and contrasted the bill's third‑trimester ban with the federal First Step Act, which he said provides a broader federal ban for some prisoners. Ward Cook of the Missouri Prosecutors Association testified in support of raising the vulnerable‑witness age to 18, saying the change has received bipartisan backing in prior sessions.

No witnesses testified in opposition during the hearing. Committee members asked procedural questions about potential amendments, language from sheriffs, and whether funding or training needs associated with implementation would be added; witnesses and the sponsor said the bill currently includes no additional funding and that language was being negotiated with sheriffs and stakeholders. Representative Perkins said he expected to receive proposed amendment language from sheriffs and to circulate it ahead of a possible committee substitute.

The committee concluded the hearing without recording a vote. The First Step Act and earlier state legislative efforts were discussed in testimony as context for the anti‑shackling provisions, and witnesses cited studies and experience linking access to food assistance with lower recidivism; none of the studies or fiscal notes were entered into the hearing record during this session.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Corrections and Public Institutions (HR7) February 11, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Representative Chad Perkins presented House Bill 916 to the House Committee on Corrections and Public Institutions, describing three main provisions: expanded SNAP eligibility for some people with prior drug convictions, limits on shackling pregnant inmates in the third trimester, and raising the vulnerable‑person age for testimony from 14 to 18.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature MO, Missouri","taxId",77693,"location","Missouri","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6335457,"Sponsor proposes cap on MoDOT internal spending; critics warn cities, counties could lose funds",1847,1888000,40804,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2289419-b9ec9180a1e1af10c155267793ff95ae&start=1888&end=40","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2289419-b9ec9180a1e1af10c155267793ff95ae/thumbnail_1888000.jpg","/articles/6335457/Missouri/Sponsor-proposes-cap-on-MoDOT-internal-spending-critics-warn-cities-counties-could-lose-funds","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6335457-dfb2905c134dd79c109e6da843ae1e27/orig.mp4?Expires=1775810430&Signature=jkXLcOwypI7LOcYjj3K0zPDx7R0ow4YT70wRnsozjGi46SU~eFdsd3gWxLYY3zlP4H9dKanxONcBwRHcrxztL9iRwZ~2zORSdvHFfwBzlc8m9uLf6KzNK10B2b8SRzTP79wtTTTjHecXzmpTSJegNX2vp06rxCKSSzzJcSO4nyy6mhh8KurbqicmgOJMuemcx9FmgGnIy~H4eIZDaXYgUbnHLWeLFwNUjhRBkefxcwJg7uMofVy9ZL4YaCbn4ImRGhohgwbHuD0olReL9cBP~d6e15yVD-gHQCeAqy2IJgTesjZPuEYyAEbVe3NhPIwuZEEPwk79-wLeXWflGYkA7Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representative Josh Hobert presented House Bill 572 to the House Committee on Corrections and Public Institutions as a measure intended to restore legislative guardrails on the Missouri Department of Transportation's internal spending. Hobert said the bill responds to court decisions that affirmed MoDOT's discretion over the state road fund after the 2021 motor fuel tax increase enacted in Senate Bill 262.

Hobert described the bill's mechanics: set an internal‑spending cap (he said he initially set 18 percent) and impose a penalty of a 1‑cent reduction in the motor fuel tax rate for the next fiscal year if MoDOT exceeds that cap; the commission could regain the lost penny by returning internal spending below the cap. Hobert said the cap and penalty are negotiable and that he expects to raise the cap modestly (he referenced shifting the cap to about 20 percent in subsequent negotiations) and lower the penalty in committee discussions.

MoDOT Deputy Director and Chief Engineer Eric Schrader testified in an informational role, outlining unintended consequences. He said external spending — including federally funded projects and designated projects such as I‑70 — can fluctuate based on federal reauthorizations, and if external spending falls the internal share will rise even without internal increases. He warned that internal costs largely cover salaries and benefits and that reductions tied to the bill could force staff cuts; he also noted that every penny of state fuel tax serves as a match to federal funds, so losing state match can reduce federal dollars for projects.

Municipal and county officials, the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and other business groups opposed the bill. Richard Sheets of the Missouri Municipal League and Gary Youngeerman of the County Commissioners Association said a reduction in the motor fuel tax would reduce distributions that cities and counties rely on for roads: cities receive a share (witnesses described a 15% distribution formula for municipalities) and counties receive a larger share for locally maintained roads. The Missouri Chamber and Callaway County warned the proposal could imperil local projects and long‑term infrastructure planning.

Several rural county witnesses detailed rising local construction costs and warned that losing fuel‑tax revenue would force the delay or cancellation of local road maintenance and equipment purchases. Several speakers urged greater transparency from MoDOT, including release of board meeting packets and contract information. The committee heard questions about whether the bill would affect county and municipal distributions and whether an amendment could exclude those distributions; witnesses differed on the effect and legal mechanics.

The hearing ended with no recorded committee vote. The sponsor and MoDOT staff said they had engaged in preliminary discussions and anticipated further negotiation and potential amendments before any final committee action.","Representative Josh Hobert told the House Committee on Corrections and Public Institutions that House Bill 572 would cap the Missouri Department of Transportation's internal spending as a share of its budget and reduce the motor fuel tax by 1 cent if the commission exceeds that cap.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6335467,"Committee hears bill to allow contracted dentists to treat inmates",136,74000,210000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2289419-b9ec9180a1e1af10c155267793ff95ae&start=74&end=210","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2289419-b9ec9180a1e1af10c155267793ff95ae/thumbnail_74000.jpg","/articles/6335467/Missouri/Committee-hears-bill-to-allow-contracted-dentists-to-treat-inmates","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6335467-aa0c189d573a9e36361ba4e1ae35e54d/orig.mp4?Expires=1775810430&Signature=EcYfnfIIWIWgA5SpX770LM~QtpiQ3HiGERk6~zthB0TKB5c80PMH0pABzLCI4tAZ5Nipny4~WpCXyrIs6328pSDU97Nghn2-Ce4Gu~B0QEPBZ7xqYBYdTkjqIteJjBfV8C08q9Kd0UQNmw3bgQ0fycpz14z1slJYCNrK58IkPICwU4A2l8kW-7-qbjBmMJMWVp2B6QdUidivnNpjqRXYUhBHE8Z9jHcWKKuoAsr2CfY9o8-BIYVnitSjAPAyBC6wm7EgpV~a15JcT256DzWxe4d4nl-ilTJPULfaoDAsK6XyrB3DkAZrHjDTd2Yh87eyTZWPJ1tSySd9L9W87ZH-fg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representative Rudy Beat, sponsor of House Bill 122, told the House Committee on Corrections and Public Institutions that the measure would allow dentists employed by medical corporations that contract with correctional facilities to provide care to inmates.

\"We need to just make an exception that those people dentists can work for that corporation that's providing medical care for our prisoners in all of our institutions,\" Representative Rudy Beat said while presenting the bill. He said the change is needed because current rules limit dentists in correctional work to dentists who own or work directly for dental corporations, non-profits, or independently, and that restriction has contributed to a shortage of providers.

Morgan Shilling, testifying on behalf of Centurion, said the bill is a narrow fix designed to restore dentist availability in correctional settings. \"We just need to make a narrow exception for correctional facilities. That's it,\" Shilling told the committee.

Chair and committee members asked no substantive follow-up questions during the hearing and no witnesses testified in opposition. The committee concluded the hearing and moved on to the next bill. No formal action or vote on House Bill 122 was recorded at this hearing.

The bill sponsor and Centurion framed the change as limited to correctional facilities; the committee did not receive technical legal analysis or written fiscal notes during the hearing. The record shows only a hearing on the measure at this session.","A bill to let dentists employed by medical corporations that serve correctional facilities provide care to incarcerated people was heard by the House Committee on Corrections and Public Institutions. Sponsor and industry witnesses said the change is a narrow fix to address a shortage of dentists willing to serve in prisons and jails.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee hears broad criminal justice bill expanding SNAP access, banning most third‑trimester shackling and raising age for vulnerable witnesses

Sponsor proposes cap on MoDOT internal spending; critics warn cities, counties could lose funds

Committee hears bill to allow contracted dentists to treat inmates