Rosalyn Baker
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Categories: Hawaii Democrats | 2006 Hawaii State Legislature
Contents |
Overview
Rosalyn Baker, a member of the Democratic Party, represents the 5th Senatorial District in the Hawaii State Senate of the Hawaii State Legislature. The 5th senatorial district includes the Kapalua, Kaanapali, Lahaina, Maalaea, Kihei and Makena areas of the island of Maui, in the state of Hawaii.
Background
Rosalyn Baker was born in 1946 in El Campo, Texas. She states her religious status as United Methodist and family status as divorced.[1] She is currently a resident of Lahaina in West Maui.
Stances on Issues
Rosalyn Baker is supportive of LGBT issues. Baker voted in the minority on a failed floor vote for HB444 in 2009. The bill would have allowed civils unions in Hawaii with all the same benefits of marriage both without the title of marriage in name.
Senator Baker is extremely unsympathetic towards people that enjoy tobacco. Baker is a "member at large" of the group Tobacco Free Hawaii and in 2006 spear-headed and introduced SB3262, creating the strictest smoking ban in the nation at that time. In 2007 the Hawaii Bar Owners Association sued the State of Hawaii for economic loss as a result of her smoking ban legislation. Baker was also responible for SB56 in 2009 which would have taken the liquor license from bar owners at the annual renewal time for a single "verified" complaint concerning the smoking ban. She is also a strong proponent for raising tobacco taxes as much as possible.
In 2007, Baker voted against the Superferry bill SB1 which bypassed the usual Environmental Impact Statement process. SB1 allowed the Inter-island Superferry to continue operating while an environmental impact statement was to be completed. The subsequent law was struck down by the Hawaii Supreme Court who said that the Hawai‘i Constitution prohibits legislation that favors or discriminates against “a specific individual, class or entity."
Senator Baker continuously scores the lowest possible rating with Small Business Hawaii whose President/ Executive Director is Senator Sam Slom, her Republican colleague in the Hawaii State Senate.
The Sierra Club Hawaii Chapter gave Baker a rating of 64 on a scale of 0-100 with 100 being the most favorible to Seirra Club interests.
The National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund assigned Senator Baker a grade of F (with grades ranging from a high of A+ to a low of F)on gun rights issues. [2]
Education
- El Campo High School (Texas), 1964
- Southwest Texas State University, B.A. in Political Science & Speech, Secondary teaching certificate, 1968
- University of Southwestern Louisiana, graduate studies in Political Science, 1969
Professional/Work Experience
- Graduate instructor, University of Southwestern Louisiana, 1968-69
- Lobbyist and Assistant Director of Government Relations, National Education Association, Washington, D.C., 1969-80
- Owner, retail sporting goods/swimwear store on Maui, 1980-87
- Business Consultant, 1987-88
- Legislative aide to Representative Karen Horita, 1987
- Legislator, 1988 - 1998, 2002 - present
- Economic Development Coordinator, County of Maui, 1999 - 2002
Political Experience
- Chair, National Youth Franchise Coalition, which led effort to secure 26th Amendment of US Constitution lowering the voting age to 18, 1970;
- Coordinated lobbying effort to enact legislation creating US Dept. of Education, 1979
- Elected to the State House of Representatives, 1988;
- House Majority Leader, 1993;
- Appointed to the Senate, 1993;
- Senate Housing Committee Chair, 1994;
- Elected to the Senate, 1994;
- Senate Majority Leader, 1995-96;
- Co-chair, Senate Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection & Information Technology, 1997;
- Member, Joint Legislative Committee on Long Term Care Financing, 1997-98; **Co-chair, Senate Committee on Ways & Means, 1998;
- Chair, Senate Committee on Health, 2002-present.
- Democratic National Convention delegate 1984, 1992;
- alternate 1996;
- Executive Committee, Maui County Democratic Party, 1986-88;
- State Democratic Convention: Co-Chair Rules Committee, 1990;
- Co-chair Resolutions Committee, 1992;
- State Democratic Convention delegate, 1984-02
- National Order of Women Legislators (NOWL) Co-Chair, 1997 National Conference; *Legislator chair, Committee on Legislative Effectiveness, ASI, National Conference of State Legislators 1996-97;
- Vice Chair, Assembly on State Issues, NCSL, 1997-1998.
Member of the following Senate committees:
- Ways and Means (Chair)
- Health
Election results: 5th Senatorial District
- 2004 General election results
BAKER, Roz (D) 8,272 56.3% COUCH, Don (R) 5,863 39.9%
- 2002 General election results
BAKER, Roz (D) 5,556 49.1% COUCH, Don (R) 5,249 46.3%
Contact:
- Hawaii State Capitol, Room 210
- 415 South Beretania Street
- Honolulu, HI 96813
- phone: 808-586-6070
- fax: 808-586-6071
- From Maui, toll free: 984-2400 + 66070
- e-mail: senbaker@Capitol.hawaii.gov
External Links
- Rosalyn Baker (Hawaii State Legislature)
- Senator Baker's Newsletter
- Sen. Roz Baker's website
- 2005-2006 Sierra Club Legislative Enviornmental Scorecard -- Roz Baker 64% Sierra Club of Hawaii.
- 2003-2004 Sierra Club Legislative Environmental Scorecard -- Roz Baker 77% Sierra Club of Hawaii.
- Maui’s legislators assess session By ILIMA LOOMIS (Maui News, 4-17-05)
- In the House, schools, roads new correctional facility, DLNR enforcement on wish lists (Maui News, 1-15-06)
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