1. United States
2. Mo.
3. Letter

I urge you to vote NO on SB1062 (Carter), the so-called "Hope Missouri Act." While the bill’s title and language are draped in the benevolent language of care plans and community support, a closer examination reveals a deeply problematic piece of legislation that offers the illusion of help without the substance of real investment in Missourians’ lives. This bill is an exercise in repackaging austerity. The core function of government should be to provide a robust social safety net through adequately funded, accessible public programs. Instead, SB1062 creates a new bureaucratic layer, the "Hope Missouri Office", but explicitly mandates that it operate with "existing resources and personnel." This is not a new investment in struggling families; it is a shell game. It asks overworked state employees to take on additional case management duties without additional funding, guaranteeing that the "hope" offered will be thin and under-resourced. The bill's structure is also troublingly vague. It tasks "hope navigators" with connecting people to "community resources and opportunities," explicitly including "faith-based organizations" in the partner network. This unnecessarily injects religion into state matters. When a struggling family reaches out to a government program for food or housing assistance, they should not be handed off to an organization that may require prayer, religious instruction, or adherence to specific doctrines as a condition of receiving help. The state has a responsibility to provide secular, accessible services to all residents regardless of their beliefs. Outsourcing this work to faith-based groups blurs the line between church and state and risks leaving vulnerable individuals feeling pressured or excluded. Most grievously, the eligibility requirements are a needless and bigoted barrier. Requiring proof of citizenship or permanent resident status creates a chilling effect that will prevent immigrant families, including mixed-status families, from seeking assistance for fear of reprisal. A program that claims to offer "hope" should be open to all who are struggling, regardless of their paperwork. SB1062 is a step backward. It substitutes real, structural solutions with a volunteer-based, underfunded hotline. We urge you to reject this bill and instead focus on legislation that provides direct, substantial, and universal aid to the people of Missouri.