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Capitol Briefs: Lawmaker sponsors employment bill to help workers with disabilities

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — A bill in the lower chamber this session aims to bolster the state’s employment of adults with disabilities.   

The Missouri Employment First Act, Rep. Bridget Walsh Moore’s HB 115, would require state agencies to include employment-related services to prioritize hiring employees with disabilities. Walsh Moore presented the bill before the House Committee on Workforce Development this week, urging the state to work together to accommodate all working Missourians.  

“Employment is one of the most significant determinants of quality of life and well-being for people with disabilities but all too often, government assistance ignores how integral a job can be for this community,” Walsh Moore said. “All people — including those with disabilities — want a dignified life, and this bill can help our state deliver on that promise.”

  • Similar legislation has been sponsored over the past two sessions; last year’s version failed to make it to a hearing. 
  • Walsh Moore praised the House and Chief Clerk Dana Rademan Miller’s efforts to increase accessibility.
  • The House recently started offering closed-captioned video streams of the floor and committees and allowed virtual testimony for the first time during regular session this year.