Senator Lisa Baker Contact information

Lisa Baker, born Elisabeth Jones, is an American politician from Pennsylvania currently serving as a Republican member of the Pennsylvania State Senate from the 20th District since 2007. She chairs the Pennsylvania Senate Judiciary Committee.

Baker was born to Edward W. Jones, II and Martha C. Jones, both of whom are deceased. She graduated from Dallas High School and received a bachelor’s degree in Government Administration from Shippensburg University in 1983.

Before her political career, Baker worked as a research analyst for Senator Robert Jubelirer, chief of staff for Senator Charles Lemmond, and as the Northeast Director for Governors Tom Ridge and Mark Schweiker. She also served as the executive director for the Blue Ribbon Foundation.

Baker was first elected in 2006, beating Democrat Robert G. McNamara to represent the 20th Pennsylvania State Senate District and fill the seat of the retiring Charles Lemmond. She won reelection in 2010 and 2014 unopposed and was reelected again in 2018, beating Green Party challenger John Sweeney with 82% of the vote. Baker won re-election in 2022.

During her first term in office, Baker introduced legislation in response to the kids for cash scandal, including proposals to aid the victims of the scandal and strengthening the juvenile justice system against such corruption. She voted in favor of Act 76, which would have abolished school property taxes in Pennsylvania, and also opposes a severance tax on natural gas drillers. Baker voted against legalizing medical cannabis in Pennsylvania and is also against legalizing adult-use cannabis in the state.

In 2022, she sponsored a bill (SB 1200) that would ban ballot drop boxes in Pennsylvania, as well another bill (SB 982) to ban private money from funding election operations. SB 982 was later enacted as 2022 Act 88. In late 2022, Baker was made the Majority Caucus Administrator for the 2023-2024 legislative session.

Baker currently serves on six committees, and is chair of the Judiciary Committee and vice-chair of the Labor and Industry Committee. She is also a member of the Aging & Youth, Banking & Insurance, and Labor & Industry committees.

Baker married her husband Gary Baker on April 20, 1985. They currently live in Lehman Township with their son Carson. She is a member of the Gino J. Merli Veterans Center Advisory Board and a trustee of the independent day school Wyoming Seminary.