Jason Glennon Crowell

Jason Glennon Crowell (born February 3, 1972) is a state senator from the U.S. state of Missouri currently serving his second term in the Missouri Senate. He succeeded the seat previously held by Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder (R-Cape Girardeau). Crowell represents Missouri's 27th Senatorial District, which consists of Bollinger, Cape Girardeau, Madison, Mississippi, Perry, and Scott counties in Southeast Missouri. He is a member of the Republican Party.

Early life and career

Born in Cape Girardeau, Crowell is a lifelong resident of Southeast Missouri. His mother taught disabled children at the Parkview State School for over 30 years. His father was born in Marquand and raised in Fredericktown and Poplar Bluff. His younger brother currently teaches at Cape Central High School where he also coaches wrestling and soccer.

Crowell graduated from Cape Central High School in 1990. He then attended Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau where he received his bachelor's degree in economics. Sen. Crowell served in 1994 as Student Government President at Southeast, and in 1993, worked in Washington D.C. as a legislative intern for the late Congressman Bill Emerson. From there he attended the University of Missouri School of Law in Columbia where he received his Juris Doctor.In 1996, while in law school, Sen. Crowell served as a judicial intern to Missouri Supreme Court Judge Ronnie White, and in 1997, served as a law clerk to then Attorney General Jeremiah “Jay” Nixon.

Crowell is a life-long member of Centenary United Methodist Church. His community commitments include serving on the Board of Directors of the Southeast Missouri Network Against Sexual Violence and on the University of Missouri Delta Center Advisory Board. He is also a member of the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce, Cape Girardeau Noon Lions Club, and Missouri Farm Bureau. In addition, he is a member of the Southeast Missouri State University Copper Dome Society and Booster Club, Cape Girardeau Elks Lodge 639, and Theta Xi. He is an Eagle Scout with the Boy Scouts of America. Along with his current service in the legislature, Sen. Crowell is an attorney with the Cape Girardeau firm of Osburn, Hine, Yates and Murphy, LLC and is licensed to practice law in Missouri, Arkansas and Illinois.

Political career

Senator Jason Crowell was elected to serve Southeast Missouri's 27th Senate District (Bollinger, Cape Girardeau, Madison, Mississippi, Perry and Scott counties) in November 2004 and re-elected in November 2008. During his first year in the Senate, Sen. Crowell earned the Chairmanship of the Pensions, Veterans' Affairs and General Laws Committee. Currently, Senator Crowell supports Southeast Missouri's interests as chairman of the Veterans’ Affairs, Emerging Issues, Pensions and Urban Affairs Committee, he is also on the Gubernatorial Appointments Committee and Small Business, Insurance and Industry Committee.

Senator Crowell serves on the board of the Missouri State Employees Retirement System, is a member of the Joint Committee on Public Employee Retirement, the State Retirement Consolidation Commission, Joint Committee on Legislative Research, the Joint Committee on Gaming and Wagering, the Senate Select Committee on Redistricting, and the Missouri Arts Council Trust Fund Board of Trustees.

Crowell is the Senate leader on tax credit reform and budget savings for Missouri taxpayers. After years of fighting for reform of this special interest redistribution of wealth, in 2011, the Senate passed sweeping changes to Missouri’s tax credits. Senator Crowell’s advocacy in this area led to the successful passage of this monumental legislation in the Senate, which would have saved Missouri taxpayers more than $1.5 billion over 15 years by eliminating those tax credits not providing a return on investment and making existing tax credits accountable to taxpayers. Unfortunately, House leaders blocked these important reforms from moving forward. Senator Crowell continues to act as a strong advocate for tax credit reform.

During the 2010 special session, Senator Crowell led the successful passage of reforms to the pension plans covering Missouri’s state employees and judges. Through the establishment of a new benefit tier for state employees and judges hired on or after January 1, 2011, Senator Crowell’s legislation brought these Missouri pension plans into line with current economic realities and changes in the demographics of state employees. These reforms will save taxpayers over $650 million over the next 10 years.

In 2009 Senator Crowell passed legislation that created the Heroes Way Interstate Interchange Designation Program. This legislation allows interstate interchanges to be named for service members who were killed in action in Iraq and Afghanistan. As part of this tribute to our fallen soldiers, two memorial signs will be erected in the North/South or East/West directions of the designated interstate interchange in remembrance of their sacrifice.

Another major accomplishment for Senator Crowell is the continued success in Southeast Missouri autism funding. Since FY2006 $1.4 million in funds has been awarded to the Tailor Institute in Cape Girardeau that specializes in working with those with high functioning autism. In addition Senator Crowell worked with Governor Jeremiah “Jay” Nixon to have reinstated $2.6 million for the construction of the Southeast Missouri Autism Center. This center, the first of its kind in Southeast Missouri, helps families that once had to travel as far as Columbia, St. Louis, or Kansas City for treatment. The Southeast Missouri Autism Center is a destination where young children with autism can go to receive high-quality diagnostic and treatment services from a multi-disciplinary team, and where today's and tomorrow's professionals can go to receive the best training available in the region. In 2008 and each year thereafter Senator Crowell was successful in securing $494,000 for the Southeast Missouri Autism Center’s annual operating budget which opened in 2009.

Senator Crowell passed legislation in the Senate in 2007 that included the phase out of the state income tax on social security benefits and public pensions benefits for over 200,000 Missouri seniors. He was also successful in getting an additional $250,000 to go towards the Veterans' Service Officer Program that assists veterans in receiving federal benefits they have earned and a $2.8 million increase in state funding to fill to capacity our seven veterans homes in the state. Other successes included making Missouri's colleges more accessible, affordable and accountable and increasing K-12 education funding. Since Senator Crowell took office in January 2005 total increases for education have risen to nearly half a billion dollars.

In 2006 his efforts went toward advancing several significant pieces of legislation to strengthen Missouri schools, a longstanding priority, by helping to pass the largest school budget in state history and crafting a new, more equitable school funding formula. Senator Crowell also sponsored legislation that reformed the Administrative Law Judge and Legal Advisors Retirement Plan. The plan was previously open to abuse and corruption as administrative law judges and legal advisors vested into a more lucrative retirement plan immediately. Senator Crowell ended the abuse and corruption by eliminating the special retirement system.

During the 2005 session Senator Crowell worked to improve Missouri's economy and bring more jobs to the state by co-sponsoring workers' compensation reform and co-handling in the Senate the legislation reforming Missouri's "tort" or civil liability system. He worked to establish a Sales Tax Holiday, which provides an annual three-day sales tax exemption during the back-to-school shopping season. Senator Crowell was instrumental in reforming Missouri's system of civil liability to prevent outrageous jury awards from unfairly tipping the scales of justice.

Throughout the years Senator Crowell has been the recipient of numerous awards:

• Distinguished Legislator Award from the Missouri Community College Association (2010)
• Appreciation Award from the Autism Society of America, Gateway Chapter (2008);
• Missouri Bar Award (2008, 2005);
• VFW Legislator of the Year Award (2007);
• American Legion Legislative Award (2007);
• Speech-Language-Hearing Association (MSHA) Award (2007);
• Missouri Academy of Audiology (MAA) Award (2007);
• Missouri Firefighters and EMS Providers Award (2007);
• St. Louis Business Journal Legislative Award (2007);
• Missouri State Teachers Association Award (2006);
• Missouri State Medical Association Legislative Award (2006)
• Missouri Association of Probate & Associate Circuit Judges Award (2006)
• Missouri Sheriff’s Association Senator of the Year Award (2005)
• Missouri Chamber of Commerce Spirit of Enterprise Award (2005)
• Missouri Sheriffs Association Senator of the Year Award (2005)
• Voice of Missouri Business Award from Associated Industries of Missouri (2005)

The Missouri House of Representatives

In November 2000, Crowell was elected to the Missouri House of Representatives by the people of Cape Girardeau County living in the 158th House District. During his first term in the statehouse, Sen. Crowell secured $250,000 in annual funding for the Network Against Sexual Violence in Cape Girardeau. The network is a child-advocacy center that provides forensic interviews and medical care to alleged victims of physical and sexual abuse. After winning re-election to the House in 2002, Senator Crowell was elected to serve the chamber as majority floor leader, the leadership position responsible for setting the agenda and bill order for floor debate. In addition to his duties as majority floor leader, Senator Crowell chaired the Ethics Committee, the Rules Committee and the Subcommittee on Legislative Research Personnel.

Senator Crowell received numerous awards of appreciation for his dedication and service when he served in the House. These include:

• Missouri Association of Counties Legislative Award (2004);
• Missouri Farm Bureau Friend of Agriculture Award (2002 and 2004);
• Missouri Bar's Legislative Award (2002 and 2003);
• St. Louis Business Journal Award (2003);
• Missouri Supreme Court Legislative Award (2003); and
• Missouri Association for Career and Technical Education Legislative Recognition Award (2002).

Electoral history

References

• Official Manual, State of Missouri, 2005-2006. Jefferson City, MO: Secretary of State.