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January, 2015 |
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Baker Sworn in to Third Senate Term
Earlier this month, I was sworn into office, beginning my third term in the Pennsylvania Senate. I would like to thank the voters for the privilege of serving. I am honored by the opportunity to continue working for the people of the 20th District. This session we face many challenges. People are worried about state finances and are pushing for a wide range of reforms in order to save money and improve efficiency. I expect serious consideration will be given to changing the public pension system and overhauling education funding.
In the year ahead, I will continue to focus on ethics reform, beginning with a strong and enforceable cash gift ban. Other initiatives carried over from
the previous legislative session include improving pipeline safety and finding ways to better link academic and technical training with workforce needs and
opportunities. Baker Receives Committee Assignments for New SessionI recently received my new committee assignments, and am pleased that they will put me in the middle of the action on significant issues as the new legislative session gets underway. I will return as chair of the Senate Labor & Industry Committee and retain a seat on the powerful Appropriations Committee, which must review every bill involving the expenditure of tax dollars to determine what the fiscal impact will be. I will also serve on four other committees: Aging & Youth, Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure, Public Health & Welfare, and Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness. These committees give me the chance to work in-depth on many of the concerns expressed by individuals and groups in our communities, and to push forward on reform measures and steps opening the door for opportunities that people want to see occur. In many instances the problems have grown in intensity, and so there is greater urgency in developing and approving responsible solutions. Given the revenue problems we must contend with, and the proposals the new administration will be pursuing, the budget hearings the Appropriations Committee will hold in March promise to be very interesting and lively. Under my chairmanship, workforce development will be a concentration of the Labor & Industry Committee. We can always find ways to establish better connections between the instruction and preparation offered in the classroom and the skills required at various job sites. As the former chair and long-time member of the Senate Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness Committee, I have consistently worked to see that the Commonwealth’s promises to veterans are honored and that first responders have the training, equipment, and communications capacity to deal with natural and manmade threats to local communities. I would like to remind residents of the 20th Senatorial District to “Join the Conversation” to receive electronic updates on these and other issues. There are three ways to sign up:
New Boundaries Set for 20th Senatorial DistrictUnder Pennsylvania’s new Reapportionment Plan, the boundaries of the 20th Senatorial District, which I represent, have changed to reflect changes in population. Encompassing 2,581 square miles, the 20th Senatorial District is slightly larger than the State of Delaware and ranks as the fifth largest Senate District in Pennsylvania. It includes 5 counties, 116 municipalities, and 22 school districts. More information on the redistricting process and copies of the new legislative maps can be found on the PA Legislative Reapportionment Commission website: www.redistricting.state.pa.us. I invite you to call on me and my staff for assistance with any state-related matters. We are ready to answer your questions, listen to your concerns and suggestions, and work with government agencies to respond to your needs. Here is a list of the Counties and municipalities that are now a part of the 20th Senatorial District:
We’ve Moved – Come Visit!
My Harrisburg office has moved – we are now located in Room 362 of the Main Capitol (on the Senate side of the capitol). Stop in and visit if you are in Harrisburg. |
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