Carey Baker

Baker was born and raised in Eustis. He is the son of former state representative Leighton Baker. Baker's family has owned the A.W. Peterson Gun Shop since 1952. When Baker was 18 years old, he joined the family business.{{cite web|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1999/11/28/bainters-seat-ignites-interest-in-district-25-race/|title=Bainter's Seat Ignites Interest In District 25 Race|publisher=Orlando Sentinel}} Baker graduated from Tavares High School and attended Lake–Sumter Community College.{{cite web|url=https://www.lakecopropappr.com/meet_appraiser.aspx|title=Meet Carey Baker|publisher=Lake County Property Appraiser}}

File:Baker Pledge House Floor.jpg

Baker joined the Florida Army National Guard while still in high school.

In 2003, while a member of the Florida House of Representatives, Baker was deployed to Iraq.{{cite web|url=http://old.post-gazette.com/localnews/20030306pippyrp4.asp|title=Rumsfeld overrules Army, lets Pippy run |publisher=Post Gazette}} Baker's colleagues in the House tied a yellow ribbon around his chair on the House floor, which remained in place until he returned. In 2004, the Florida Legislature unanimously passed House Bill 1757, the Carey Baker Freedom Flag Act, which required every public school classroom in Florida to have an American flag on display.{{cite web|url=https://patch.com/florida/newportrichey/bp--to-tallahassee-and-back-flying-americas-flag-in-f9a703ce775|title=To Tallahassee and Back: Flying America's Flag in Florida Classrooms|date=May 29, 2012 |publisher=New Port Richey Patch}}

In 2007, Baker was part of a thirteen-member team of Florida Army National Guardsmen sent to train soldiers from former Soviet Union satellite countries.{{cite web|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2007/07/26/baker-evaluates-military-fusion-in-ukraine/|title= Baker Evaluates Military Fusion In Ukraine|publisher=Orlando Sentinel}}

File:Rep. Ralph Poppell, R-Titusville, left, and Rep. Carey Baker, R-Eustis, right, confer on the House floor March 9, 2004.jpgIn 2004, Baker won a special election for the 20th District State Senate Seat after incumbent Anna Cowin announced she would run for Lake County Superintendent of Schools.{{cite web|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2004/05/15/lawmaker-to-try-for-cowin-post/|title= Lawmaker To Try For Cowin Post|publisher=Orlando Sentinel}} He was re-elected to full terms in 2006 and 2008.{{cite web|url=https://www.lakecopropappr.com/meet_appraiser.aspx|title=Meet Carey Baker |publisher=}} The 20th Senate district includes parts of Marion, Sumter, Lake, Volusia, and Seminole counties. While serving in the Florida Senate, he was chairman of the Senate Government Operations Committee{{cite web|url=http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sfl-mtblog-2009-04-state_will_keep_king_air_350_i-story.html|title=State will keep King Air 350 in executive airpool|publisher=Sun Sentinel}} and on the Senate Transportation Committee, Senate Agriculture Committee, and Senate General Government Appropriation Committee.{{cite web|url=https://ballotpedia.org/Carey_Baker|title=Carey Baker|publisher=Ballotpedia}}

File:Senator Carey Baker with Legislative Aide Mike Norris and Miami Heat Center Alonzo Mourning.jpg]]

In 2012, Baker defeated Ed Havill for the position of property appraiser of Lake County, Florida, and ran unopposed in 2016.{{cite web|url=http://sunshinestatenews.com/blog/carey-baker-first-complete-late-property-appraiser%E2%80%99s-term|title=Carey Baker to First Complete Late Property Appraiser's Term|publisher=Sunshine State News}} In 2014, Baker was elected president of the Florida Association of Property Appraisers.{{cite web|url=http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/lake/os-lk-carey-baker-property-appraiser-president-20141216-story.html|title=Property Appraiser Carey Baker elected association president|publisher=Orlando Sentinel}}

In 2003, Baker introduced HB 805, which expanded Florida's private school voucher program to the families of military personnel. As Baker was deployed to Iraq, Frank Attkisson presented the bill on Baker's behalf. The bill passed 74–42.{{cite web|url=http://staugustine.com/stories/032603/sta_1420761.shtml#.WhZw4DdryM8|title=Bill offering vouchers to military families passes House|publisher=St. Augustine Record|access-date=November 23, 2017|archive-date=December 1, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201035447/http://staugustine.com/stories/032603/sta_1420761.shtml#.WhZw4DdryM8|url-status=dead}}

In 2004, Baker passed legislation designating an eight-mile stretch of State Road 50, from Mascotte to Stuckey, the "Eric Ulysses Ramirez Highway". Ramirez was a 1991 graduate of Mount Dora High School, serving in the National Guard. He was killed on February 12, 2004, in Iraq. He was 31 years old.{{cite web|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2005/11/22/state-sen-carey-baker-r-eustis-on-monday/|title=State Sen. Carey Baker, R-Eustis, on Monday|publisher=Orlando Sentinel}}

In 2006, Baker passed the Justin McWilliams Act into law. The legislation made it so the State Uniform Traffic Rules were applicable on private property.{{cite web|url=http://www.pecc.us.com/The-Justin-McWilliams-Act.shtml|title= The Justin McWilliams Act|publisher=Parents Encouraging Confident Choices}}

In 2007, Baker filed a bill to established a sales tax holiday, from June 1 through 12, 2007, exempting taxes on hurricane preparedness items.{{cite web|url=https://www.eglin.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/393463/florida-governor-announces-hurricane-preparedness-sales-tax-holiday/|title=Florida governor announces hurricane preparedness sales tax holiday|publisher=Eglin Air Force Base}}

Baker first introduced legislation to ban texting while driving in 2007. The legislation died in committee.{{cite web|url= http://www.excell.ca/news_details.asp?NewsStoryID=289|title= Still Talking and Driving in Florida|publisher= Excell Communications|access-date= November 23, 2017|archive-date= March 6, 2019|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190306111627/http://www.excell.ca/news_details.asp?NewsStoryID=289|url-status= dead}} In 2010, while serving as chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee, Baker filed SB 324 and SB 326, which would have banned anyone younger than 18 years of age from writing or sending a text message on an electronic communications device while operating a motor vehicle, but it died in committee.{{cite web|url=http://handsfreeinfo.com/fla-distracted-driving-archive/|title=Florida: Cell phone laws, legislation (2008-2010)|publisher=Hands Free Info}}

In 2009, Baker was named "Senator of the Year" by the Florida Fraternal Order of Police.{{cite web|url=http://www.floridastatefop.org/pdf_files/carey_baker.pdf|title=Florida State FOP Names Carey Baker Senator of the Year|publisher=Florida State Fraternal Order of Police}}

In 2010, Baker introduced SJR 72, the Health Care Freedom Act. The act placed an initiative on the ballot that would have banned any laws requiring people buy health insurance. The bill passed the Senate and House and was placed on the ballot as Amendment 9.{{cite web|url=https://www.alec.org/press-release/florida-health-care-freedom-act-passes-house-and-senate-mississippi-measure-poised-for-2011-ballot/|title=Florida Health Care Freedom Act Passes House and Senate|publisher=American Legislative Exchange Council}}

{{Election box begin no change | title= 2000 Florida 25th House District Primary Election{{cite web |url=https://results.elections.myflorida.com/|title=Official Results September 5, 2000 Republican Primary Election|date=September 5, 2000|accessdate=December 1, 2017 |work=Florida Department of State}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

|party =Republican Party (United States)

|candidate =Carey Baker

|votes =5,731

|percentage =49

}}

{{Election box candidate no party link no change

|party =Republican Party (United States)

|candidate =Betty Hensinger

|votes =4,625

|percentage =39

}}

{{Election box candidate no party link no change

|party =Republican Party (United States)

|candidate =Randy Wiseman

|votes =1,283

|percentage =11

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin no change|title=2000 Florida 25th House District Primary Election Runoff{{cite web |url=https://results.elections.myflorida.com/|title=Official Results October 3, 2000 Republican Primary Runoff Election|date=October 3, 2000|accessdate=December 1, 2017 |work=Florida Department of State}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

|party =Republican Party (United States)

|candidate =Carey Baker

|votes =5,505

|percentage =63

}}

{{Election box candidate no party link no change

|party =Republican Party (United States)

|candidate =Betty Hensinger

|votes =3,206

|percentage =36

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin no change | title= 2000 Florida 25th House District General Election{{cite web |url=https://results.elections.myflorida.com/|title=Official Results November 7, 2000 General Election|date=November 7, 2000|accessdate=December 1, 2017 |work=Florida Department of State}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

|party =Republican Party (United States)

|candidate =Carey Baker

|votes =35,304

|percentage =62

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|party =Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate =Rick Dwyer

|votes =21,520

|percentage =37

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{reflist|30em}}

{{commons category|Carey Baker}}

{{Florida State Senators}}

{{Portal bar|Biography|Politics|Florida}}

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Category:Living people

Category:1963 births

Category:People from Eustis, Florida

Category:United States Army non-commissioned officers

Category:Military personnel from Florida

Category:Republican Party members of the Florida House of Representatives

Category:Republican Party Florida state senators

Category:21st-century members of the Florida Legislature

Category:20th-century members of the Florida Legislature