Senator Kurt U. Schaefer was elected to the Missouri Senate in 2008 representing the citizens of the 19th senatorial district. Senator Schaefer is the Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and also serves on the Senate Committees on Education and Commerce, Consumer Protection, Energy and the Environment.

In addition to his legislative duties, Senator Schaefer is the former General Counsel and Deputy Director of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Special Counsel to the Governor, Special Counsel to the Missouri Department of Agriculture, Missouri Assistant Attorney General and Special Assistant United States Attorney.

As General Counsel and Deputy Director at DNR, he was responsible for all legal aspects of the State's Environmental Regulatory and Enforcement Agency, which also owns and manages the State's 83 state parks and historic sites, including litigation management, environmental, administrative, employment, personal injury, Sunshine Law and open records/meetings, contracts, and constitutional law.

Sen. Schaefer has litigated bench and jury trials of all kinds and complexities in numerous circuit and federal courts throughout Missouri and elsewhere. He has handled approximately 100 appellate actions before all three districts of the Missouri Court of Appeals and Missouri Supreme Court, and more than 90 administrative proceedings before various state permitting and licensing agencies and the Missouri Public Service Commission.

Senator Schaefer and his wife Stacia have 3 children and live in Columbia. He is a partner in the law firm of Lathrop and Gage LLP.

Senator Schaefer has received the following awards in 2012 for his legislative achievements.

• RCGA Statesman Award
• Missouri Sheriffs’ Association Senator of the Year Award
• Service Award from the City of Columbia
• University of Missouri Flagship Council Award
• Missouri Association of Osteopathic Physicians & Surgeons Health Legislative Award
• ASUM Legislator of the Year (also received in 2009 and 2010)
• University of Missouri Graduate Professional Council Award
• Alzheimer’s Association Leadership of the Year Award