{{short description|American politician}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Kris Steele | image = 200px | office = 45th Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives | term_start = 2011 | term_end = 2013 | predecessor = Chris Benge | successor = T.W. Shannon | office2 = Speaker pro tempore of the Oklahoma House of Representatives | term_start2 = 2009 | term_end2 = 2011 | predecessor2 = Gus Blackwell | successor2 = Jeff W. Hickman | state_house3 = Oklahoma | district3 = 26th | term_start3 = 2001 | term_end3 = 2013 | predecessor3 = Bob Weaver | successor3 = Justin Wood | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1973|07|11|df=yes}} | birth_place = Ardmore, Oklahoma | death_date = | death_place = | spouse = Kellie Kursar | party = Republican | children = | alma_mater = Oklahoma Baptist University | occupation = Politician | profession = }}

'''Kris Steele''' (born July 11, 1973) is a United States politician from the U.S. state of Oklahoma who served as state representative. Steele served in the Oklahoma House of Representatives as the Speaker of the House, a position he took over after the 2010 elections. He presided over the 53rd Oklahoma Legislature.

Steele, served as Speaker Pro Tempore, under Chris Benge. He was chosen as Speaker-designate in 2009.<ref>Harrison, Caitlin. "[http://oudaily.com/news/2009/oct/20/representative-appointed-new-okla-house-speaker/ Representative appointed as new Oklahoma House Speaker]," ''OU Daily'', October 20, 2009 (accessed February 3, 2010).</ref> Elected to the Oklahoma House of Representatives on November 7, 2000,<ref name="2000 Election Results">[http://www.elections.state.ok.us/00result.html 2000 Election Results] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081126200359/http://www.elections.state.ok.us/00result.html |date=2008-11-26 }}, [http://www.elections.state.ok.us Oklahoma State Election Board] (accessed February 3, 2010).</ref> he was term-limited out of office in 2012.

Steele is now the executive director of The Education and Employment Ministry (TEEM) in Oklahoma City.

==Early life and career== Born in Ardmore, Oklahoma on July 11, 1973, Steele graduated from Broken Bow High School in 1992 and earned a B.A. in religion from Oklahoma Baptist University in 1996. Since graduating from OBU, Steele has served as a Baptist minister and public school teacher.<ref>[http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=55602 Kris Steele Complete Bio], [http://www.votesmart.org Project Vote Smart] (accessed February 3, 2010).</ref>

==Political career== Steele was elected to the Oklahoma House of Representatives on November 7, 2000,<ref name="2000 Election Results"/> He filed five bills in the 2001 session; two became law.<ref>[http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/WebBillStatus/main.html Bill Tracking] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051111232958/http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/WebBillStatus/main.html |date=2005-11-11 }} Oklahoma House of Representatives (accessed February 3, 2010)</ref>

Steele became House Speaker Pro Tempore when Chris Benge took over as Speaker of the House following Lance Cargill's resignation in January 2008.<ref>Hinton, Mick. "House Republicans choose Benge to become speaker designate", [http://www.tulsaworld.com ''Tulsa World''], February 4, 2008.</ref><ref>Hinton, Mick "House Speaker Lance Cargill steps down after not paying taxes", [http://www.tulsaworld.com ''Tulsa World''], January 28, 2008.</ref>

The Shawnee lawmaker had several pieces of legislation signed into law from the 2009 session, including the "Health Care for Oklahomans Act" and "The Silver Alert Act".<ref>[http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/WebBillStatus/main.html Bill Tracking] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051111232958/http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/WebBillStatus/main.html |date=2005-11-11 }}, Oklahoma House of Representatives (accessed February 3, 2010)</ref>

Steele introduced a 2012 proposal to reject a pay raise for statewide officials and judges.<ref>McNutt, Michael. [http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=11&articleid=20120216_16_A12_CUTLIN599035 Pay-raise rejection proposal gains approval from Oklahoma House], [http://www.tulsaworld.com ''Tulsa World'']. Published February 16, 2012.</ref><ref>Associated Press. [http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=336&articleid=20120215_336_0_OKLAHO188231 House panel OKs bill to quash Oklahoma pay hikes], [http://www.tulsaworld.com ''Tulsa World'']. February 15, 2012.</ref>

Steele presided over the 53rd Oklahoma Legislature and under his tenure oversaw the enactment of tort reform, the elimination of social promotion in public school after the third grade, the elimination of the ability of teachers to appeal termination to district courts as trial de novo, corrections reform that expanded the eligibility of low-risk, nonviolent inmates for community sentencing and electronic monitoring programs, pension reform, agency consolidation and the Justice Reinvestment Initiative.

==Post-state House career== Steele is the executive director of The Education and Employment Ministry (TEEM), a 501(c)(3) organization "dedicated to breaking cycles of incarceration and poverty through education, personal development and work readiness training".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.teem.org/our-mission |title=Our Mission |website=The Education and Employment Ministry |access-date=April 30, 2020}}</ref> He has criticized the Oklahoma penal system as being "awfully quick to look at incarceration as a solution. It tears families apart, it creates instability. It makes the situation much worse".<ref name=crusader>{{cite news |last=Schulte |first=Bret |date=April 23, 2020 |title=A Republican Crusader Takes on Oklahoma's Prison Machine |url=https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2020/04/23/republican-prison-reform-debate-criminal-justice-conservatives-137887 |work=POLITICO |location=Oklahoma City |access-date=April 30, 2020 }}</ref>

Steele successfully campaigned for State Questions 780 (making low-level drug possession and property crimes misdemeanors) and 781 (creating a rehabilitation fund), which passed in 2016.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=August 1, 2017 |title=Oklahoma Election Results 2016 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/elections/2016/results/oklahoma |work=The New York Times |access-date=April 30, 2020 }}</ref> He has received the requisite signatures to put State Question 805, a constitutional amendment which would end sentence enhancements for non-violent crimes, on the ballot in November 2020.<ref name=crusader/>

==Personal life== When Steele was six, he was shot point-blank with a pellet gun in the head. After being in a coma for ten days after the pellet passed through his brain, he recovered but he now swings his left leg forward from his hip when he walks; his left arm and hand, though usable, curl from his elbow and his fingers often ball into a fist.<ref name=crusader/>

Steele is married to Kellie Kursar and lives in Shawnee, Oklahoma. They have two daughters.

==District== House District 26 encompasses a small northern portion of Pottawatomie County that includes the city of Shawnee.<ref>[http://www.okhouse.gov/Research/HouseDistricts.aspx House Districts, Congressional and Other Maps] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090507095639/http://www.okhouse.gov/Research/HouseDistricts.aspx |date=2009-05-07 }}, [http://www.okhouse.gov Oklahoma House of Representatives] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130622043630/http://okhouse.gov/ |date=2013-06-22 }}. 10-14-09</ref>

==Election history== {| class=wikitable style="font-size:95%; text-align:right;" |+'''November 7, 2006, Election results for Oklahoma State Representative for District 26 ''' |- !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=center colspan=2|Candidates !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=center|Party !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=center|Votes !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=center|% |- | {{party color cell|Republican Party (United States)}} |align=left|Kris Steele |align=center|Republican Party |'''5,315''' |'''63.47%''' |- | {{party color cell|Democratic Party (United States)}} |align=left|Joe Freeman |align=center|Democratic Party |3,059 |36.53% |- |align="left" colspan=6|Source:<ref>[http://www.elections.ok.state.us/06result.html 2006 Election Results], [http://www.elections.ok.state.us Oklahoma State Election Board]. 10-14-09</ref> |} {| class=wikitable style="font-size:95%; text-align:right;" |+'''November 2, 2004, Election results for Oklahoma State Representative for District 26 ''' |- !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=center colspan=2|Candidates !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=center|Party !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=center|Votes !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=center|% |- | {{party color cell|Republican Party (United States)}} |align=left|Kris Steele |align=center|Republican Party |'''8,608 ''' |'''68.71%''' |- | {{party color cell|Democratic Party (United States)}} |align=left|Pat Bateman |align=center|Democratic Party |3,920 |31.29% |- |align="left" colspan=6|Source:<ref>[http://www.elections.state.ok.us/04result.html 2004 Election Results] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081126200649/http://www.elections.state.ok.us/04result.html |date=2008-11-26 }}, [http://www.elections.state.ok.us Oklahoma State Election Board]. 10-14-09</ref> |} {| class=wikitable style="font-size:95%; text-align:right;" |+'''November 7, 2000, Election results for Oklahoma State Representative for District 26 ''' |- !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=center colspan=2|Candidates !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=center|Party !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=center|Votes !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=center|% |- | {{party color cell|Republican Party (United States)}} |align=left|Kris Steele |align=center|Republican Party |'''6,162 ''' |'''54.60%''' |- | {{party color cell|Democratic Party (United States)}} |align=left|Terry LaValley |align=center|Democratic Party |5,123 |45.40% |- |align="left" colspan=6|Source:<ref>[http://www.elections.state.ok.us/00result.html 2000 Election Results] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081126200359/http://www.elections.state.ok.us/00result.html |date=2008-11-26 }}, [http://www.elections.state.ok.us Oklahoma State Election Board]. 10-14-09</ref> |}

==Sources== {{Reflist}}

{{Speakers of the Oklahoma House of Representatives}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Steele, Kris}} Category:1973 births Category:Living people Category:People from Ardmore, Oklahoma Category:Republican Party members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives Category:21st-century members of the Oklahoma Legislature Category:Oklahoma Baptist University alumni Category:People from Shawnee, Oklahoma Category:Speakers of the Oklahoma House of Representatives Category:Baptists from Oklahoma