# Dave Baker (Minnesota politician) *American politician; member of the Minnesota House of Representatives since 2015* Dave Baker (born March 27, 1962) has been a member of the [[Minnesota House of Representatives]] since 2015.[^1] He belongs to the [[Republican Party of Minnesota]] and holds the District 16B seat in west-central [[Minnesota]]. The district takes in the city of Willmar and parts of Kandiyohi County.[^1] Baker won the seat in 2014 by defeating Mary Sawatsky, a DFL incumbent who had served one term.[^1] His son died of a heroin overdose in 2011. In the House, Baker has authored and carried opioid legislation. This includes a 2017 bill with a manufacturer fee that he later removed, and the 2018 *Opioid Epidemic Response Law*.[^1] ## Early life and education Baker grew up in Hamel, Minnesota, and went to Aitkin High School. He later studied sales and management at the St. Cloud Area Vocational Technical Institute.[^1] He has owned and run restaurants, hotels and small businesses. For 12 years before he entered the legislature, he operated a restaurant in Willmar. His holdings include Green Lake Cruises in western Minnesota and a Super 8 motel.[^1] ## Minnesota House of Representatives Baker was first elected in 2014, unseating one-term DFL incumbent Mary Sawatsky. He has won reelection in every two-year cycle since.[^1] He serves as the minority's lead member on the Workforce Development Finance and Policy Committee. He also holds seats on the Human Services Finance Committee and the Human Services Policy Committee.[^1] He was an assistant majority leader in 2015–2016 and has been an assistant minority leader since 2021.[^1] ### Opioid epidemic Baker's son Daniel died of a heroin overdose in 2011 at age 25. Daniel had become addicted to opioids that were legally prescribed for an injury.[^1] In 2016 Baker backed a bill obliging pharmacists to open accounts on a state-run opioid prescription monitoring website. The bill did not require pharmacists to use the site.[^1] Legislation he has authored would do several things: - tighten limits on opioid prescribing; - require physicians to review patient histories; - shorten prescription durations; - add safe-disposal sites at pharmacies. He also co-authored a bill requiring doctors to check on patients before prescribing opioid painkillers.[^1] In 2017 Baker carried a bill that levied a "penny a pill" charge on opioid manufacturers, also termed a stewardship fee.[^1] Democrats and Governor [[Mark Dayton]] backed the fee. Other House Republicans and the pharmaceutical lobby opposed it, and the lobby worked to have the provision struck.[^1] Baker took the fee out of his version of the bill. He said he was "frustrated" by the drug companies' objections.[^1] In 2018 he worked on the *Opioid Epidemic Response Law* with DFL State Senator Chris Eaton, who had also lost a child to opioids.[^1] ## Personal life Baker and his wife, Mary, married in 1985. The couple live in Willmar and have three children.[^1] ## Notes [^1]: Wikipedia contributors, *Dave Baker (Minnesota politician)* (revision 1365542517, retrieved 2026-10-26) — Baker's birth date, district, party, education, business activity, House service, committee assignments, opioid legislation and family. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Baker_(Minnesota_politician)