Jason Grill was elected in 2006 to represent Kansas City, Missouri and surrounding municipalities in the Missouri House of Representatives.
Jason Grill is a graduate of St. Pius X High School In Kansas City, where he earned three varsity letters in football, two varsity letters in basketball, two varsity letters in tennis, and served as Student Council Vice President. He graduated in the top ten of his class, was named a Kansas City Star Scholar Athlete, and earned his Eagle Scout while at St. Pius X.
After graduating from St. Pius X, Jason headed to Saint Louis University where he graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics and a minor in Political Science. At SLU, Jason was awarded the Leadership Scholarship, and completed many hours of community service through Big Brothers/Big Sisters, St. Louis Parks and Recreation, and the St. Louis inner-city mentorship program.
Jason was an active member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity and served as philanthropy chair, where he organized events to help raise money for the Children’s Miracle Network.
While at SLU, Jason studied International Economics in Rome, Italy through the University of Loyola-Chicago. During college, Jason worked at the Kansas City Law Firm of Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP, the St. Louis Law Firm of Thompson Coburn LLP, and at The White House in Washington D.C. where he served as an assistant to Vice President Al Gore’s Senior Advisor & President Bill Clinton’s Advisor for Urban Redevelopment and Economic Policy, Alvin Brown (Currently the Mayor of Jacksonville, Florida).
After graduating from SLU, Jason attended the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law. While at Mizzou, Jason earned an Advanced Certificate in Dispute Resolution, and was a member of the Deans List three times. Jason went back to Washington D.C. during law school where he worked at the CNN Washington D.C. Bureau. In this capacity, Jason was the top assistant to Senior Political and Economic Correspondent Brooks Jackson (Currently the Director of Factcheck.org).
Jason is a licensed member of the Missouri and Kansas Bar and has worked as a practicing attorney in Kansas City with various firms. In addition he has served as an Adjunct Professor at Park University where he has taught undergraduate and MBA graduate level courses in law, politics, and economics.
In 2006, at the age of 27, Jason was elected to the Missouri House of Representatives. Jason won by 60-40 percent margin in a heavily contested open seat race. Jason won every precinct in the Missouri House District on his way to victory.
In his first session in the Missouri House of Representatives, Jason was unanimously elected as Treasurer of the Bipartisan Freshman Member Caucus. Jason was the only freshman member of the minority party to sponsor and pass a bill in the Missouri House, as well as the only freshman member of the minority party to handle and pass a senate bill during the 2007 legislative session. Jason served on the Tax Reform, Small Business, Health Insurance, and Senior Nutrition Committees in his first term. In 2008, the Missouri House passed legislation that Jason sponsored, which was signed into law by then former Governor Matt Blunt (R), which has fought identity theft in Missouri and has provided protection to consumers who have been the victims of identity theft.
In his 2008 reelection to the Missouri House of Representatives, Jason garnered 97 percent of the vote. He received more votes then any other State Representative candidate in his party statewide.
In 2009, Jason was appointed and served on the Judiciary, Ways and Means, Financial Institutions (Banking), and Real ID and Personal Privacy Committees. In 2010, the Missouri Legislature passed legislation sponsored by Jason, which was signed into law by Governor Jay Nixon (D), which expands access for families and children to life-changing autism diagnosis, treatment, and therapy.
In 2010, Jason lost his bid for a third term, 50-49 percent, in a heavily leaning Republican district during the national Republican tidal wave.
Jason is a member and lector at his local catholic church, a member of various chamber of commerce and economic development groups, a 4th degree member of the Knights of Columbus, a board of director of Don Bosco Centers, and has served as an Adult Scout Master. He has raised money and awareness for various Kansas City and national charities including Autism Speaks, the First Hand Foundation, and Big Brothers/Big Sisters of KC.
For his work, Jason has been recognized and received awards such as:
- KC Man of Year 2011 – KC Connections – Raised $3,000 for Autism Speaks – April 2011
- Distinguished Recent Graduate Award – University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law – September 2010
- Rising Star – KC Business Magazine – February 2010 issue – “The Future of Kansas City Business Lies in the Hands of Jason Grill”
- Voted KC’s “Best Local Politician” and featured in the September 2008 issue of KC Magazine
- Named 1 of 40 Up and Coming Lawyers in Missouri by Missouri Lawyers Weekly in July 2008
- Advocacy Award – Autism Society of America
- Family of the Year-St. Therese Catholic Church Knights of Columbus Council #7199 (2005)
Jason currently is an attorney, adjunct professor, political contributor, and active in government relations and public affairs. He is an avid Missouri Tigers, Sporting KC, Kansas City Chiefs, Kansas City Royals, and Liverpool fan. He co-hosts a fantasy football show on 810 sports radio in Kansas City. Jason hopes to one day go to a World Cup, run a few marathons, travel as much as possible, work on his golf game, stay as involved as possible in the community, and see one of his beloved teams when a championship in person. Even though he is a recovering politician right now, he has not ruled out a future run for public office.
