Adam Schnelting

Adam Schnelting
Member of the Missouri House of Representatives
from the 69th district
Assumed office
January 4, 2023
Preceded byGretchen Bangert
Member of the Missouri House of Representatives
from the 104th district
In office
January 9, 2019 – January 4, 2023
Preceded byKathie Conway
Succeeded byPhil Christofanelli
Personal details
BornSt. Charles, Missouri, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseChristine
Residence(s)St. Charles, Missouri, U.S.
Alma materOklahoma Wesleyan University
Schnelting on the floor of the Missouri House of Representatives

Adam Schnelting (born 1985)[citation needed] is a Republican member of the Missouri House of Representatives. He currently represents the 69th district, which primarily encompasses Harvester, Weldon Spring, and portions of St. Peters and St. Charles in St. Charles County, south of Highway 94.[1] Schnelting was originally elected to serve the 104th district in the Missouri House of Representatives in November 2018.[2]

Early life, education and career

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Schnelting is a licensed realtor, minister, and former church planter. He currently serves as a combat engineer in the Missouri Army National Guard.[3] Schnelting is a former member of the Missouri State Defense Force[4] and State Guard Association of the United States and is also actively involved with the National Rifle Association of America, Missouri Right to Life, and American Center for Law and Justice. Schnelting, whose family came to America in 1628, is a 7th-generation Missourian and a member of the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. He obtained his degree in Christian Ministry from Oklahoma Wesleyan University and his baccalaureate degree from University of Missouri St. Louis.

Politics

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Schnelting previously worked as a legislative assistant in the Missouri House of Representatives. In 2016, he ran in the Republican primary for the 65th house district, though lost to Tom Hannegan. Republican incumbent Kathie Conway was term-limited in 2018 from serving again in the 104th district. Schnelting ran unopposed in the August 2018 primary, then defeated Democrat Peggy Sherwin in the November general election.[5][6] Schnelting received nearly 12,000 votes and won against Democratic candidate Jessica DeVoto in 2020.[7] Due to state redistricting, Schnelting was moved to District 69,[8] where he again faced DeVoto in the 2022 election, defeating her by a larger margin than in 2020.[9]

Schnelting introduced HJR116, an amendment to the Missouri state constitution authorizing the creation of the Missouri Department of the National Guard, during the 2022 legislative session.[10] The amendment was approved by Missouri voters in the 2022 general election.[11] Prior to the amendment, the Missouri National Guard was a part of the state's Department of Public Safety.[12]

Schnelting also authored, introduced, and passed Missouri's abortion ban.[13] His amendment[14] to HB126[15] was a "trigger law" designed to go into effect if Roe v. Wade was ever overturned by the US Supreme Court. When the court struck down Roe v. Wade on June 24, 2022, the state ban on abortion went into effect.[16]

Schnelting sponsored legislation that some critics say would diminish oversight measures on unlicensed schools placed by HB 557, passed in 2021.[17] Schnelting refuted criticism and said his bill will help resolve a foster care crisis in Missouri by promoting child placement while also ensuring higher oversight of currently unlicensed schools via the new "Child Protection Board" his bill would create.[18] The board would give priority membership to Missouri Association of Christian Child Care Agencies, an association critics say is linked with Agape Boarding School, a private and unlicensed school whose abuse allegations contributed to passage of the 2021 bill.[19] Schnelting also supported HB 557 in 2021.[17] After deliberations, the House Committee on Children and Families overwhelmingly approved Schnelting's measure by a vote of 6–2.[20][21]

In 2024, Schnelting ran for Missouri State Senate from district 23, winning over three challengers in the Republican primary. He will face Democrat Matt Williams in the general election.[22]

Legislative assignments

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Representative Schnelting serves on the following committees:

  • Special Committee on Homeland Security, Chair
  • Emerging Issues
  • Insurance Policy

Electoral history

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Missouri House of Representatives — District 65 Republican Primary — St. Charles County (2016)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Tom Hannegan 2,747 51.10%
Republican Adam Schnelting 2,629 48.90%
Total votes 5,376 100.00%
Missouri House of Representatives — District 104 — St. Charles County (2018)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Adam Schnelting 9,663 56.28%
Democratic Peggy Sherwin 7,507 43.72%
Total votes 17,170 100.00%
Missouri House of Representatives — District 104 — St. Charles County (2020)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Adam Schnelting 11,982 58.38% +2.10
Democratic Jessica DeVoto 8,542 41.62% −2.10
Total votes 20,524 100.00%
Missouri House of Representatives Election, November 8, 2022, District 69[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Adam Schnelting 9,376 59.72% +1.34
Democratic Jessica DeVoto 6,325 40.28% −1.34
Total votes 15,701 100.00%

Personal life

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Schnelting currently resides in St. Charles with his wife, Christine, and their children, Catherine and George.[1][better source needed]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Representative Adam Schnelting". Missouri House of Representatives. 2022. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  2. ^ "Missouri House of Representatives District 104". Ballotpedia. 2018. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  3. ^ "Representative Adam Schnelting". Missouri House of Representatives. 2021. Retrieved March 5, 2022.
  4. ^ Gerber, Cameron (May 21, 2020). "'Another layer of defense': Speaker Pro Tem donates PPE throughout Missouri". The Missouri Times. Archived from the original on May 30, 2020. Retrieved April 1, 2024.
  5. ^ "Adam Schnelting". Ballotpedia. Retrieved February 15, 2019.
  6. ^ "Election Night reporting". Missouri Secretary of State. Retrieved February 15, 2019.
  7. ^ "State of Missouri – General Election, November 03, 2020". Missouri Secretary of State. December 8, 2020. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
  8. ^ "Redistricting Maps". www.sos.mo.gov. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  9. ^ "Missouri State House - District 69 Election Results | The Tennessean". www.tennessean.com. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  10. ^ "Missouri House of Representative - Legislation". house.mo.gov. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  11. ^ "Missouri Constitutional Amendment 5 Election Results: Create State Department of the National Guard". The New York Times. November 8, 2022. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  12. ^ Laurie, Jack (November 8, 2022). "Missouri becomes 49th state to create separate National Guard department". KOMU 8. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  13. ^ "Missouri House of Representatives - Bill Information for HB1017". house.mo.gov. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  14. ^ "MO House Amendment to HB126" (PDF).
  15. ^ "Missouri House of Representatives - Bill Information for HB126". www.house.mo.gov. Retrieved November 16, 2022.
  16. ^ Weinberg, Tessa (June 24, 2022). "Abortion is now illegal in Missouri in wake of U.S. Supreme Court ruling". Missouri Independent. Archived from the original on June 24, 2022. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  17. ^ a b "Missouri House Bill 557". LegiScan. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  18. ^ Bauer, Laura; Thomas, Judy L. (April 1, 2024). "'Shocked that it's come up again.' Critics say MO bill could undo new boarding school law". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved April 1, 2024.
  19. ^ Salter, Jim (January 11, 2023). "Missouri boarding school under investigation will shut down". AP News. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  20. ^ "HB 2307". Missouri House of Representatives. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  21. ^ Thomas, Judy L.; Bauer, Laura (April 2, 2024). "'Utterly unacceptable.' Missouri House committee passes contentious reform school bill". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved April 4, 2024 – via MSN.
  22. ^ Colbert, Ethan (August 6, 2024). "Glitch delays St. Charles County results. Costlow bests Calfo in contentious GOP race". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved August 7, 2024. In Senate District 23, Rep. Adam Schnelting, R-St. Peters, emerged the victor
  23. ^ "Election Results; Official Election Returns" (PDF). Missouri Secretary of State. December 9, 2022. Retrieved January 11, 2023.