Our Lobbyists

We are the only organization in Missouri that hires professional lobbyists to influence state legislation affecting those on the registry.  Our dedicated lobbyists with the prominent Jefferson City firm, Gamble & Schlemeier, include Sarah Schlemeier Henke, a seasoned legislative advocate, and Jeff Smith, a former Missouri state senator with an interest in helping justice-impacted individuals and families.  Sarah and Jeff successfully halted several bills in 2025 and 2026 that would have had devastating consequences for people on all 3 Tiers.  

VICTORY IN 2026!

Our lobbyists successfully facilitated the passing of Senate Bill 982 in 2026 by working with influential stakeholders, including state law enforcement, and securing respected sponsors.  This bill restores the path for removal from the MO Registry that had been enacted in 2018.  After a 2023 MO Supreme Court decision, based on confusing language in the 2018 Bill, no one could petition to be removed from the Registry. 

We knew the only solution was to get a bill passed to revise the statutory language, a tall order when over 2000 bills are filed each year and only a fraction (5% this year) are passed and signed.  Our lobbyists worked tirelessly to push SB 982 through every stage in both chambers and to be sure the Governor signed it into law.  

Example of what we achieved in 2025 with the help of our professional lobbyists:

Overview of SB 134 Testimony and Legislative Activity (February 5, 2025)

On February 5, 2025, the Missouri Senate Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence Committee heard testimony regarding Senate Bill 134 (SB 134). This proposed legislation, introduced by Senator Travis Fitzwater, includes provisions addressing restrictions for individuals on the sex offender registry, particularly regarding their presence on school grounds and potential expansions of the registry’s requirements.

The hearing featured testimony from seven witnesses who spoke in opposition to key provisions of the bill. These witnesses represented a wide range of perspectives and expertise, including:

• Long-time registry participants, who shared personal stories about the challenges faced because of the current system and how SB 134 would exacerbate those difficulties.
• The President of Viewpoints-STL, an organization focused on providing transitional housing for men on the registry, who emphasized the barriers to reintegration caused by the proposed bill.
• The President of the Missouri Association for Families and Registrants (MOAFR), who highlighted the need for a path to removal from the registry and the disproportionate effect of lifetime registration requirements.
• A criminal defense attorney argued that existing mechanisms already address many of the concerns raised by the bill and cautioned against the blanket restrictions proposed in SB 134.

The witnesses were coordinated by lobbyist Jeff Smith, who has been actively engaging with the bill’s sponsor and committee members to advocate for more balanced and effective legislation alongside another member of our lobbying team, Sarah Schlemeier Henke, who dug into the legislative history of the issue and has taken the lead in crafting modifications to the SB 134 language.

Key Highlights from the Hearing

1. Testimonies Against SB 134:
   • Witnesses collectively stressed the punitive and overly broad nature of the bill, particularly its provisions that would prevent Tier 3 registrants from attending school-related events, even those involving their own children or grandchildren.
   • Personal anecdotes illustrated the human impact of these restrictions, such as parents being unable to attend their children’s school plays, graduations, or parent-teacher conferences.
   • Criticism focused on the shifting of offenses between tiers and how that could upend someone’s life who would be moving to a more severe tier.
      
2. Concerns About the Registry:
   • Witnesses and experts pointed out that Missouri’s registry system is already one of the most restrictive in the nation, requiring lifetime registration for all tiers due to the Missouri Supreme Court’s interpretation of the law.
   • Calls were made to restore the petition for removal intended by the 2018 legislation, which aligned Missouri with the federal Adam Walsh Act but was later invalidated due to confusing statutory language.
      
3. Committee Engagement:
   • Committee members, including Senator Schroer and Senator Coleman, asked thoughtful questions about the nature of Tier 3 offenses, the restrictions that have placed huge burdens on families, recidivism rates, and the current enforcement mechanisms for registrants.
   • The discussion revealed a genuine interest in understanding the balance between protecting public safety and ensuring fairness for individuals who have paid their debt to society.

RESULT:

SB 134 was subsequently abandoned by the sponsor, Sen. Travis Fitzwater.  Unfortunately, Sen. Fitzwater filed SB 969 in 2026, which again, would prohibit parents on Tier 3 of the registry from any presence on their children’s school grounds, regardless of permission from the school or district.  Our lobbyists will continue to advocate against this bill, emphasizing the devastating effect on children who miss having their parents at their important school events. 

We believe the heartfelt testimony from registrants has laid the foundation for reform of the registry statutes and for restoring the path for removal.