91st General Assembly
Rep. Jim Kreider, a Democrat, represents part of Christian and Greene counties (District 142) in the Missouri House of Representatives.
Rep. Kreider was elected Speaker of the Missouri House in 2001 and had previously served as Speaker Pro Tem since 1997. He also was the Missouri House of Representatives Freshman Class president in 1992. He is distinguished as the first Democrat to hold a legislative seat in Christian County since 1904 and the first member of leadership from Southwest Missouri since 1955.
Speaker Kreider is recognized as a leader among his colleagues in cutting taxes, improving education and supporting the state's vital agricultural economy. Some of his recent legislative accomplishments include expanding the Missouri Circuit Breaker Program for seniors, increasing the personal exemption, expanding the tax exemption for private pensions, cutting taxes on food, eliminating the franchise tax on small businesses and providing a tax credit for businesses that must renovate to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
This past session Speaker Kreider sponsored the Women’s Health Initiative. Through this legislation health insurance providers are required to include obstetrical/gynecological coverage; to annually notify enrollees of cancer screenings covered under the health care plan; and to offer contraception coverage.
Speaker Kreider has also passed the most comprehensive farm legislation in the country. Through this legislation, the state provided tax incentives for the formation of new-age cooperatives for meat-packing, ethanol production and other crop processing plants. Other legislative accomplishments include: a "three strikes and out" law for repeat domestic violence offenders, a law to limit the number of frivolous suits prisoners are able to bring against the state, limits on the amount of taxes and fees the General Assembly can impose in any one year without a vote of the people, and protections of Missourians' rights against managed care companies.
In addition to his legislative duties, Speaker Kreider is a farmer and rancher.
Speaker Kreider has received the Military Order of the Purple Heart Citation of Commendation, the Missouri Hospital Association Health Policy Leadership Award (2001), the American Police Hall of Fame award (1998), the Spirit of America award (1998), the Missouri School Boards Association Friend of Education award (1997), the Missouri Farm Bureau Friend of Agriculture award (1996-2000), and the Farm Family of the Year award (1992).
Speaker Kreider is a member of the St. Elizabeth Ann Seaton Catholic Church; a past board member and current member of the Christian County Farm Bureau; a past member and vice president of the Christian County University Extension; a former member of the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service board; a member of the Nixa and Ozark Parents as Teachers advisory board; a member of the Nixa, Ozark and Spokane A+ School advisory board; an honorary board member for the Missouri Farmers Union and a member of the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association.
A 1973 graduate of Nixa High School, Speaker Kreider holds a degree in agricultural business and economics from Southwest Missouri State University.
Born June 24, 1955, in Nuernberg, Germany, Speaker Kreider currently resides near Nixa with his wife, Debbie, and their children Lacey and Neeley.