Tag: House Bill 316 (2021)

      Missourians with felony convictions are no longer blocked from working in places that sell lottery tickets, and face less restriction in working where alcohol is sold, under a law that took effect over the summer.  Advocates say the change is a “game changer” for people who get out of prison and want to get their lives back on track.

      Representative Cheri Toalson Reisch (R-Hallsville) sponsored the legislation for several sessions.  It became law as a provision in Senate Bill 26, signed into law in July. She recently got to talk to some people who are taking advantage of the change.

      “I’m just thrilled.  I mean, I’m so happy, because it’s all about helping your fellow man to succeed,” said Toalson Reisch.

      One man with whom Toalson Reisch met was Henry Mikel of Columbia, who says it’s making a difference in his life.     

      “It’s very hard to get a job, man, when you’re a felon, so it’s going to help out a lot for the people that do want to change when they do get out of prison, or the people that are on probation that has committed a felony,” said Mikel. 

      Mikel is open about his past, which includes a 2^nd degree assault charge, and that he is recovering from drug addiction.  He is staying at in2Action, a program that helps those released from prison transition back into life and stay out of prison.  He recently began working at a convenience store close to the facility.  It’s a job he couldn’t have gotten just a few months ago because the store sells lottery tickets.

      He thinks the new law is making a big difference for him, and will do so for others in similar circumstances.

      “I believe it’s going to help out a lot, man, because not everybody wants to stay in trouble and not everybody wants to stay in the system as a felon.  People do want to change,” said Mikel.

      He became emotional in expressing gratitude that the law passed.  He said with the holidays approaching it will allow him to do something for his two young adult children.

      “I’ll tell you, to have a job and be able to do something for my kids, man, it’s a blessing.  Being a drug addict and an alcoholic most of my life, my kids missed out on a lot, man, and I feel like a big piece of s**t over that.  Now that I’ve turned my life around, I have a relationship with my kids, I can call my kids, I can go see my kids any time.  It does help out a lot, man.  It helps out a lot.”

      Mikel expressed thanks not only to Representative Toalson Reisch, but to all the legislators who voted for her proposal, and to Governor Mike Parson (R) for signing it into law.

      “It does feel good that there are people out there that really care,” said Mikel. 

“Being an addict I can tell you one thing … not everybody wants to be an addict.  Once you become an addict … the main thing that goes through an addict’s head is, ‘How can I change?’”  Mikel said.  “I understand that a person has to want to change, truly, and they have to show it, but it’s hard to show it when you don’t have people that wants to back it up, and it’s nice to know that there are people out there that are giving people a chance and that wants to help people that want to help their self.”

      Some would dismiss or even look down on a job such as working at a convenience store, but advocates agree it is a big deal for someone in a position like Mikel’s.  He adds that he genuinely enjoys working there, and even as a child he thought it could be a fun job.

      “You see just different personalities.  I’m the type of guy that I want to help a lot of people.  I want to help the people that are weak and the people that are addicts, I want to help people in their faith, so I believe this job’s going to help me in my dream because it helps me read people and it helps me figure people out more.  I’m using it to my advantage.”

      Toalson Reisch had the opportunity to meet Mikel for the first time just a few days ago, at an in2Action Christmas Dinner. 

      “We just hit it off, and he thanked me for giving him the opportunity.  He loves his job,” said Toalson Reisch.  “When I see these success stories, like Henry, that it’s making a real impact on real people in their lives, it just gives me hope.”

      The last time Toalson Reisch’s proposal came to a vote on the House floor the vote in favor of it was 148-1. 

Earlier story: New Law a ‘game changer’ for some felons seeking work

      An advocate says a new law that began as a Missouri House bill is a “game changer” for people trying to establish new lives after felony convictions.   

      The legislation eliminated a prohibition on those with felony convictions working in places which sell lottery tickets.  It also lifted the requirement that businesses who sell alcohol report to the state when they hire someone with a felony.  The changes have been sponsored for several years by Hallsville Republican Cheri Toalson Reisch, and was signed into law this summer and took effect August 28.

      She said it’s about worker freedom.

      “If an employer wants to hire a felon, why should the State of Missouri tell them, ‘No?’”

      Dan Hanneken is the Executive Director of In2Action, a program that helps people transition out of prison.  He says the most important factor in a convicted felon not returning to prison is their ability to find employment.

      “This particular bill might only effect maybe ten percent of the people that we serve, but the level of impact it will make on the ten percent of people will be a complete game-changer for them when they can re-enter the workforce,” said Hannekan.

      “What we want is felons … to work.  We need them to be self-supporting and we need them to support their families,” said Toalson Reisch.  “They want to work, and this gives them more opportunities to go out and get entry-level jobs, work their way up, give them experience, put work on a resume.”

      The proposal, filed by Toalson Reisch as House Bill 316, was amended to Senate Bill 26, which was passed and signed by Governor Mike Parson (R). 

      She said this bill benefit not only her home county of Boone, which she said consistently has one of the highest unemployment rates in the state, but the entire state.

      “Most everywhere sells lottery tickets or alcohol, whether it’s a restaurant, a grocery store, convenience store; most anyplace you walk into will have one or both of those items, and that shouldn’t hold people back who want to work, who want to have a job and earn a living.  They’ve served their debt to society.”

      The legislation had broad support, and was viewed as helping fight recidivism and unemployment while supporting criminal justice reform and helping the economy by boosting the eligible workforce.  The House voted 148-1 for the 2020 version of the bill.

      Hanneken said the law before this change was very frustrating for the people he works with, who often want to rebuild their lives, provide for their families, and simply have a path forward after prison.

      “When people are released from prison and they’re told, ‘No, you cannot even work at a convenience store,’ that was incredibly defeating for them,” said Hanneken.   

      Toalson Reisch said the reporting requirement for businesses that sell liquor was, in practice, a pointless exercise for those employers, who had to fill out a form that wasn’t used for anything.

      “All they did was send it in and I was literally told the state did nothing with this form.  They literally threw it in a file cabinet and did nothing with it, and so it was just nonsensical and had no purpose,” said Toalson Reisch.

      The bill also had broad support from groups including Empower Missouri and the Missouri Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Stores Association.

Pronunciations:

Cheri Toalson Reisch = shuh-REE TOLE-sun RYSH