Roz Baker has represented the people of Maui County in the Hawai‘i State Legislature for almost 20 years, serving in a variety of leadership positions. She currently represents the 6th Senate District (South and West Maui) and is Chair of the Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee. She is a long-time advocate for issues that affect the quality of life for the average person, such as access to health care, quality public education, equity in the workplace, equal rights for all, community issues such as prevention of domestic violence and sex assault, care for elders, and promoting sustainable economic development focusing on green industries with Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) careers including renewable energy. Senator Baker also has an abiding concern for the preservation of the health and beauty of Hawaii's natural resources and host culture.

As Chair of the Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee (CPN), Roz championed the reform of Hawaii's foreclosure law creating landmark legislation that helps distressed homeowners get a fair shake and ensure homeowners are protected against fraudulent mortgage rescue schemes. Under her leadership, numerous measures were successfully introduced including ones to modernize insurance regulations, procedures of the Public Utilities Commission including legislation to allow continuation of preferential rates for agricultural producers from interisland water carriers, strengthen identity theft laws, and secured long term funding for Public Access Television statewide.

Senator Baker has been pivotal in developing health policy for our State, serving for four years as Senate Health Chair from 2002-2006 and is currently a member of the Senate Health committee. She has been recognized for her leadership in health policy by such organizations as American Cancer Society (Hawai‘i-Pacific), Hawai‘i Primary Care Association, Healthcare Association of Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i Long Term Care Association, Hawai‘i Psychological Association, Coalition for a Tobacco Free Hawai‘i, the Hawai‘i Optometric Association, American Heart Association and Hawaii's leading nursing organizations including the Hawaii State Center for Nursing, HPU School of Nursing and the UH Manoa School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene. Most recently, Senator Baker was given the Bette Takahashi Service Award by Planned Parenthood of Hawaii, recognizing her for being an outstanding advocate for women's reproductive health and rights.

Senator Baker has served on several national committees addressing access to care issues including the Subcommittee on Pediatric Emergency Care of the Institute for Medicine's Committee on the Future of Emergency Care in the US Health System which issued its report in 2006. She served as co-chair of the SCR 117 Task Force which reviewed overcrowding at Hawai‘i State Hospital and related forensic and mental health issues and was a member of the Joint Legislative Task Force on Long Term Care-giving. Roz, a cancer survivor and longtime volunteer, is currently the Chair of Board of Directors for American Cancer Society Hawaii Pacific. Roz was recently recognized by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network for her advocacy and legislative work in prevention, cancer control and on behalf of cancer patients.

Prior to moving to Hawai‘i in 1980, Roz was a lobbyist for the National Education Association in Washington, D.C. She graduated from Southwest Texas State University (now Texas State University at San Marcos) with a BA in political science and speech and a secondary teaching certificate and post graduate studies at the University of Southwestern Louisiana in Lafayette.