urr icane ▁prepared ness ▁items . ▁The ▁hol iday ▁was ▁expected ▁to ▁save ▁Flor id ians ▁almost ▁$ 2 5 ▁million ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁alone . ▁ ▁Baker ▁first ▁introduced ▁legisl ation ▁to ▁ban ▁text ing ▁while ▁driving ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁Baker ▁file d ▁the ▁bill ▁after ▁tra ctor - tra iler ▁driver ▁Re inal do ▁Gonz ale z ▁sl ammed ▁into ▁a ▁school ▁bus ▁while ▁he ▁was ▁on ▁his ▁phone , ▁killing ▁a ▁ 1 3 - year - old ▁girl . ▁The ▁legisl ation ▁died ▁in ▁committee . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁while ▁serving ▁as ▁Chair man ▁of ▁the ▁Senate ▁Transport ation ▁Committee , ▁Baker ▁file d ▁S B ▁ 3 2 4 ▁and ▁S B ▁ 3 2 6 , ▁which ▁would ▁have ▁b anned ▁anyone ▁younger ▁than ▁ 1 8 ▁years ▁of ▁age ▁from ▁writing ▁or ▁sending ▁a ▁text ▁message ▁on ▁an ▁electronic ▁communic ations ▁device ▁while ▁operating ▁a ▁motor ▁vehicle , ▁but ▁it ▁died ▁in ▁committee . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁Baker ▁was ▁named ▁" S en ator ▁of ▁the ▁Year " ▁by ▁the ▁Florida ▁F rat ernal ▁Order ▁of ▁Police . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁Baker ▁introduced ▁S J R ▁ 7 2 , ▁the ▁Health ▁Care ▁Fre edom ▁Act . ▁The ▁act ▁placed ▁an ▁initi ative ▁on ▁the ▁ball ot ▁that ▁would ▁have ▁b anned ▁any ▁laws ▁requiring ▁people ▁to ▁particip ate ▁in ▁a ▁health ▁care ▁system .