Dave Baker (Minnesota politician)

In 2011, Baker's 25-year-old son Dan died of a heroin overdose, after becoming addicted to opioids legally prescribed for an injury.[5][6] In the legislature, Baker has been active in addressing the opioid epidemic.[7][8] In 2016 he supported legislation to require pharmacists to create accounts on a opioid prescription monitoring website set up by the state, but stopped short of mandating them to use it.[9][10] Baker has authored legislation that would impose tougher restrictions on prescribing opioids, require doctors to check patient histories, reduce the duration of prescriptions and expand safe disposal sites at pharmacies.[11] Baker co-authored legislation that would require doctors to check up on patients before prescribing opioid painkillers.[12]

In 2018, Baker worked on the "Opioid Epidemic Response Law" with DFL State Senator Chris Eaton, who also lost a child to opioids.[13] Baker carried legislation in 2017 that imposed a "penny a pill" or "stewardship fee" on opioid manufacturers.[14][15] The fee was supported by Democrats and Governor Mark Dayton, but opposed by other House Republicans and the pharmaceutical lobby, which fought for the provision to be removed.[16][17] Baker removed the fee from his version of the bill, saying he was "frustrated" by the pharmaceutical companies' objections.[18][19] He said he was "unable to convince my colleagues" to adopt the fee increases.[20] The opioid legislation passed with bipartisan support and was signed by Dayton, and ultimately lawmakers compromised and decided that the fees would be scaled back in the case of a legal settlement.[5][21]

Baker was named to the Opioid Response Advisory Council by Governor Tim Walz, and later served as the council's chair.[22][23][24] In 2021, a nationwide settlement with opioid manufacturer Johnson & Johnson included $296 million over 18 years to the state of Minnesota. The advisory council will oversee the spending of these funds.[24][25] Baker called for the money to be used on addiction and opioid-related services, and was praised by Attorney General Keith Ellison for his leadership on the issue.[26]

Baker was one of two Republican House members who voted in support of legislation to restore the right of undocumented immigrants to get driver's licenses in 2019.[27] Baker opposed the bill when it passed the House again in 2023.[28]

Baker has called for law enforcement to have more authority over fentanyl.[29] In 2021, he voted against a bill to legalize marijuana in Minnesota, citing it as a gateway drug that could lead to the use of dangerous substances like opioids.[30] Baker also said he opposed legalization due to an increase in the use of vaping devices, especially among youth.[31] He voted against legislation sponsored by Representative Matt Dean that would have eliminated MinnesotaCare, a public health care option.[32] Baker sponsored legislation to invest in rural broadband expansion.[33]

Baker supported legislation that curbed increases in the minimum wage for tipped workers.[3] He also voted for legislation that would block the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul from increasing their minimum wage ordinances.[34]

Baker opposed state masking mandates, and told his employees not to ask about medical conditions or force customers to wear face masks.[4] He authored legislation to limit the governor's use of executive powers, and criticized Governor Walz's pandemic lockdown policy, advocating that all pandemic restrictions end by May 2021.[35][36][37] Baker's business received over $50,000 in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds during the COVID-19 pandemic.[38]