Matt
Baker
is
currently serving his
13th term in the House
of
Representatives,
representing
all
of
Tioga
County
and
parts of Bradford and
Potter counties. He
brings more than 35
years of knowledge
and
experience
of
public service and state
government with him as a state representative.
Prior to his election in 1992, he served as a district
legislative aide for 12 years. 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.
In the House, Baker serves as majority chairman of the
House Health Committee and is a member of the Rules
Committee. He is also a member of the Rural Caucus,
the Tax Reform Caucus, the 2nd Amendment Caucus
and the Firefighters and Emergency Services Caucus.
In addition, he has served as Speaker Pro Tempore of
the House of Representatives when the speaker cannot
preside over the House during a voting session.
Baker also serves on the Board of Governors of
the State System of Higher Education (PASSHE), the
Capitol Preservation Committee and the Marcellus
Institute Resource Council for the Marcellus Institute at
Mansfield University.
With the continued expansion of the natural gas
industry, Baker authored the Pipeline Safety Act and
was a lead debater and supporter in the House for
passage of Act 13 of 2012, to support natural gas
production. He also supported passage of Act 147 of
2012, which allowed extraction of minerals found in
or beneath state-owned or PASSHE land to benefit the
14 state universities; supported legislation to create
Keystone Opportunity Zones to provide job creators
with tax cuts, credits and exemptions to spur job
growth; and supported the Resource Manufacturing
Tax Credit to revive Pennsylvania manufacturing.
Baker also helped create the new Yellow Dot Program
and the Emergency Contact Information Program in
Pennsylvania to help provide emergency responders
with the information they need to more quickly and
safely administer medical help to injured motorists.
He was also instrumental in helping to establish the
Tioga County Dental Clinic and the Wellsboro Area Food
Pantry.
During his tenure, he has been honored with the
following: 2016 National State Official of the Year Award
by the Healthcare Information and Management Systems
Society; 2016 Healthcare Information Technology
Legislator of the Year Award by the Pennsylvania
Chapters of the Healthcare Information Management
System Society; 2015 Pink Ribbon Award by the PA
Breast Cancer Coalition; 2015 Partnership in Excellence
Award by the Pennsylvania Association of County Drug
and Alcohol Administrators; 2014 Legislative Leadership
Award by the Pennsylvania Association of Community
Health Centers; 2014 Legislator of the Year Award by
the Pennsylvania Academy of Family Physicians; 2013
Friend of County Government Award by the County
Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania; 2013 PA
Orthopaedic Society’s Legislator of the Year Award; the
Defender of Liberty Award by the American Conservative
Union in 2012 and 2013; Rural Health Legislator of the
Year Award by the Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health
Leadership in 1998 and 2012; Outstanding Legislator
of the Year Award by the National Multiple Sclerosis
Society, Central PA Chapter, in 2010; Friend of Penn
State Legislator of the Year Award in 2009; Pennsylvania
Podiatric Medical Society Award in 2009; Ernestine
Williams Advocacy Award by the Pennsylvania Public
Policy Coalition in 2005; 2003 Friend of Family Medicine
Award by the PA Academy of Family Physicians; and
Public Health Excellence Award by the Pennsylvania
Public Health Association in 2002. In addition, Baker was
named a Guardian of Small Business by the National
Federation of Independent Business multiple times. He
also was recognized by the House for having attained
a 22-year record of perfect attendance at every House
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 is a member of the First Baptist Church of Wellsboro
and the Wellsboro Rotary Club.
Baker currently resides in Wellsboro, Tioga County,
with his wife, Brenda.
Updated 1/17
THE FOLLOWING ARE SOME OF THE MANY LAWS BAKER HAS AUTHORED DURING HIS TENURE AT THE STATE CAPITOL:
• Act 169 of 2016 provides for pharmacy audit procedures, for registration of pharmacy benefits managers and auditing entities, for maximum allowable cost
transparency and for prescription drugs reimbursed under the PACE and PACENET programs.
• Act 163 of 2016 prohibits the Department of General Services from entering into a procurement contract with an entity that is engaging in an economic boycott
against Israel.
• Act 87 of 2016 provides for Hepatitis C testing and treatment and for duties of the Department of Health.
• Act 73 of 2016 establishes Oral Chemo Parity providing insurance coverage for oral chemo medications.
• Act 37 of 2016 prevents further spread of substance abuse by amending the Controlled Substance, Drug, Device & Cosmetic Act by expediting listing of illegal
designer and precursor drugs.
• Act 198 of 2014 establishes the Patient Centered Medical Home model of care to improve quality of care to those on Medicaid.
• Act 126 of 2014 provides funds for Critical Access Hospitals and serves as the vehicle for the state’s Fiscal Code, which implements the $29.1 billion state budget
for 2014-15.
• Act 47 of 2014 designates a bridge on Elk Run Road over Pine Creek in Gaines Township, Tioga County, as the SFC William Boyle Memorial Bridge. Boyle was
killed in action on Feb. 28, 1970, while serving in the U.S. Army Special Forces in Vietnam.
• Act 129 of 2013 increases the Volunteer Loan Assistance Program by doubling loan amounts for volunteer fire and EMS departments.
• Act 97 of 2013 creates the Child Identity Theft Law in Pennsylvania and increases grading of crime offense committed against those under the age of 18.
• Act 104 of 2012 creates the Higher Education Modernization Act, which allows all 14 state-owned universities to offer applied doctorate degrees and defines
and clarifies relations with affiliated entities for the sole purpose of benefitting Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education schools that would permit
employees to raise funds.
• Act 55 of 2012 allows for conveyance of Laurel Health System property, formerly known as the Blossburg State Hospital.
• 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 transfers 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, to give law enforcement officials the necessary time
to complete their investigation of the most difficult incidents – ones that cause serious bodily injury or death and frequently involve 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 cleanup, 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 acts, 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.