Matt Baker is currently serving his tenth term in the House of Representatives, representing all of Tioga County, western Bradford County and part of eastern Potter County. Baker brings more than 30 years of knowledge and experience of public service and state government with him as a state representative.
Baker serves as Republican Chairman of the House Health Committee for the 2011-12 session. He is also a member of the Human Services Committee and Rules Committee. In previous sessions, Baker has served as the Republican Chairman of the Health and Human Services Committee and State Government Committee.
Learn more on my Facebook page.
Additionally, Baker has served as Speaker Pro Tempore of the House of Representatives to Republican speakers. Baker’s primary role is to fill in for the Speaker when he cannot preside over the House during a voting session.
Finally, Baker serves on the Board of Governors of the State System of Higher Education as well as the Health Care Leadership Council and the Capitol Preservation Committee. Baker also served on the Pennsylvania College of Technology Board of Directors from August 2007 to March of 2009.
The Pennsylvania Public Health Association awarded Baker the Public Health Excellence Award in 2002 for his advocacy of sound public health policies and practices. Baker was also named the 2003 Friend of Family Medicine by the PA Academy of Family Physicians (PAFP), which represents 4,800 family physicians, residents and medical students statewide. He won the honor primarily for his efforts to defeat a proposal known as rate collapsing, which would have forced primary care doctors to pay the same medical liability insurance rates as higher-risk physicians, such as surgeons.
In 2005, The Pennsylvania Public Policy Coalition presented Baker the Ernestine Williams Advocacy Award for his vision and leadership in the cause of caregivers. He was honored for sponsoring legislation to increase the monthly support and home modification allowances for caregivers under the PA Family Caregiver Support Program.
In 2009, he was awarded the Friend of Penn State Legislator of the Year Award and the Pennsylvania Podiatric Medical Society Award. He also was appointed to the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council.
In 2010, Baker was presented with the Outstanding Legislator of the Year Award by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Central PA Chapter. He was selected to receive the award based on his advocacy for legislation to create an Adult Protective Services system, which was recently passed through the General Assembly.
Baker is proud of the communities he represents and is very active in local civic affairs. He is a member of the First Baptist Church of Wellsboro and the Wellsboro Rotary Club and has been very supportive of various non-profit charitable organizations.
In the House, Baker is also a member of the Rural Caucus, the Tax Reform Caucus and the Firefighters and Emergency Services Caucus. He has been a strong advocate for rural health issues and was awarded the Rural Health Legislator of the Year award in 1998. The National Federation of Independent Business has also named Baker Guardian of Small Business. Baker was also recognized by leadership for having attained a 19-year record of perfect attendance at every House floor session since first becoming a state legislator.
Baker graduated from Cowanesque Valley High School, Westfield. He holds an associate degree from Corning Community College, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree as an honors scholar from Elmira College. He attended Mansfield University and was awarded an honorary Doctor of Public Service degree.
He previously served as a district legislative aide for 12 years prior to his election in 1992. He was responsible for handling local constituent services. He also was an elected Republican committeeman in Wellsboro for many years. Previously, he worked in a Wellsboro law firm for 12 years where he specialized in serving people with disabilities. He helped them in their cases to obtain Social Security and disability benefits before federal administrative law judges.
Formerly of Westfield, Pennsylvania, Baker resides in Wellsboro, Tioga County, with his wife, Brenda.
The following are some of the many laws Baker has authored during his tenure at the state Capitol:
• Act 122 of 2011 holds abortion facilities to the same personnel and equipment
requirements, quality assurance procedures, and fire and safety standards as freestanding
ambulatory surgical facilities.
• Act 127 of 2011 deals with safety related to transporting natural gas; it provides for gas and
hazardous liquids pipelines and for powers and duties of the Pennsylvania Public Utility
Commission, and imposes civil penalties.
• Act 112 of 2011 changes the name of the law to the Pennsylvania Caregiver Support Act,
addresses approved out-of-pocket expenses incurred by caregivers, allows reimbursement
of non-relative caregivers and adult family members, and makes other changes.
• Act 117 of 2011 transfer jurisdiction of Old Possessions Road in Ward Township, Tioga
County, from the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources back to the
township.
• Act 107 of 2010 brings state law into compliance with the Federal “Combat
Methamphetamine Epidemic Act” to limit sales of products used in the production of meth.
• Act 42 of 2009 requires judges to sentence persons convicted of identity theft to make
restitution for all reasonable expenses incurred by the victim or on the victim’s behalf
relating to investigating the theft, bringing or defending civil or criminal actions related to the
theft, or taking other efforts to correct the victim’s credit record or negative credit reports
related to the theft.
• Act 64 of 2006 permits Pennsylvania corporations to file a continuation statement allowing
financing statements filed with the Department of State prior to July 1, 2001, (if the filing of
a continuation statement occurs before the original financing statement ceases to be
effective after Dec. 30, 2005, or six months before the financing statement expires) to
remain as a legally effective documenting. Under this legislation, a continuation statement
is filed timely if the filling occurs before the time the financing statement would expire after
June 30, 2006, but not before Dec. 30, 2005.
• Act 166 of 2004 allows auto accident investigators to file summary charges up to a year
after an accident, thereby giving law enforcement officials the necessary time needed to
complete their investigation of the most difficult incidents – ones that cause serious bodily
injury or death and frequently involved multiple vehicles.
• Act 219 of 2002 statutorily authorizes crime victims to contact the Pennsylvania Board of
Probation and Parole and its hearing examiners via videotape and conference call.
• Act 62 of 2002, known as Pennsylvania’s Identity Theft Act, makes it a third-degree felony
to commit a first offense of the crime of identity theft and provides a maximum penalty of
seven years in prison and a $15,000 fine. A third or subsequent offense raises the crime to
a second-degree felony with a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $25,000 fine.
• Act 23 of 1998 permits county commissioners to appropriate money from the county’s
operating reserve fund to assist municipal corporations with any clean-up, maintenance,
repair or improvements undertaken as a result of damage incurred or a dangerous condition
resulting from a disaster emergency.
• Act 62 of 1997, known as the “anti-cyber enticer act,” makes it a crime if a person
knowingly contacts or communicates with a minor through the Internet for the purpose of
engaging in any illegal sexual act open lewdness, prostitution, the peddling or making of
obscene and other sexual materials and performances, or sexual abuse of children.
• Act 53 of 1996 mandates that inmates of a state correctional institution who have medical
insurance pay for their own medical needs through that insurance before state funds are
used.
• Act 129 of 1996 provides immunity from criminal and civil liability to those persons who
donate wildlife to charitable organizations that receive and distribute wildlife.
• Act 120 of 1996 provides legal means for the closure of adult-oriented establishments and
imposes penalties for violation.
Stay Informed
Sign up to receive occasional updates from me.
Sign up here
Matthew E. Baker
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Harrisburg Office: Harrisburg, PA 17120 (717) 772-5371
District Offices: 74 Main Street, Wellsboro, PA 16901 (570) 724-1390