Volume 5, Issue 2     —     January 18, 2019

A weekly message from your Senator

Dear Constituents and Friends,

The second week of the 2019 session kicked off with a legislative press forum with Governor Walz and the four leaders from the Senate and House. There were also a number of press conferences on issues ranging from distracted driving, how the state is dealing with the federal shutdown, and legalizing recreational marijuana use.

I am working on legislation that considers developing a framework to legalize adult use cannabis, and I welcome your thoughts on this topic. It is an issue that touches many areas of government, and if Minnesota is to follow the path of other states who have legalized its use, it is imperative that we are thoughtful, transparent, and responsible with implementation.

Committees also kicked into gear with a busy week of overviews and a few early bill hearings. Some of the topics under discussion this week include HHS fraud prevention investigations, disability waivers, energy storage, education budgets, a farm and agriculture overview, a hearing on disease affecting our deer population, prison sentencing modifications, and an overview on our November budget forecast. Continue reading “Sen. Melisa Franzen (SD49) Update: January 18, 2019”

A weekly message from your Senator

Dear Constituents and Friends,

This week we returned to Saint Paul to kick off the 2019 Legislative Session. The first order of business this session will be for committees to get to work on a two-year budget. State budget officials projected a $1.54 billion budgetary balance for the upcoming two-year budget cycle, but nearly half of this balance is only available for one-time spending and experts are predicting a slowing economy in the near future. It is more important now than ever to recognize that any new spending and tax cuts must be balanced. Protecting our state’s finances from future instability is the prudent choice as we anticipate slower economic growth ahead.

In the work of setting a new two-year budget, I am committed to work to build the state all Minnesotans deserve with high-quality education, affordable and accessible health care, and increasing support for working families. Here are some of the many issues I expect to work on in 2019:  Continue reading “Sen. Melisa Franzen (SD49) Update: January 11, 2019”

Save the Date!

A message from your Senator

Dear Constituents and Friends,

The 2019 legislative session kicks off January 8 with a new DFL governor, a new DFL House majority, and the Senate remaining in GOP leadership. I look forward to hearing from constituents and advocates this legislative session on issues that are important to you. As always, my doors are open for you to stop by anytime or schedule a time that is convenient for you in district or at the Capitol. While there will always be intense emotions surrounding policy and politics, as your State Senator I am committed to getting to work to keep Minnesota on the right track.

With state budget officials projecting a $1.54 billion budgetary balance for the upcoming two-year budget cycle, we will need to tread cautiously to ensure a positive economic future. Nearly half of the surplus balance is only available for one-time spending and experts are predicting a slowing economy in the near future. It is more important now than ever to recognize that any new spending and tax cuts must be balanced. Protecting the state’s finances from future instability is the prudent choice as we anticipate slower economic growth ahead.

In our work setting a new two-year budget, I am committed to building the state all Minnesotans deserve with high-quality education, affordable and accessible health care, and increasing support for working families. Here are some of the many issues we expect to work on in 2019: Continue reading “Sen. Melisa Franzen (SD49) Update: December 21, 2018”

Interim Update                               August, 2018

An interim update from your Senator

Dear Constituents and Friends,

Happy summer! As many of you know, the 2018 legislative session ended in May. However, the work continues during the interim. I am pleased to share a summer update with some of my work as well as new laws that became effective as of August 1st.

I kicked off the beginning of summer by planning a town hall meeting in the district and attending a variety of end of session reviews including the Minnesota Council on Latino Affairs, breakfast with Edina Ham and Eggs, WCCO radio, Eden Prairie Chamber of Commerce, Eden Prairie City Council, and the Bloomington Advocacy Council, among others. I’ve also had the privilege to hear from many of you directly. In late May, I met with a group of constituents to learn about their concerns regarding gun and school safety and was invited to tour the South Metro Public Safety Training Facility to learn more about gun safety practices. The nonparitsan organization No Labels invited me to engage in productive conversation regarding federal and state policy.

The Beacon Interfaith Collaborative invited me to participate in a conversation to discuss the success of securing bonding dollars for affordable housing. I also visited the Bloomington Central Station to learn about future development plans and attended the groundbreaking of the Mall of America Transit Station also in Bloomington. Continue reading “Sen. Melisa Franzen (SD49) Update: August, 2018”

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

The 2018 session ended after the Minnesota Legislature reached a May 21th constitutional deadline to complete our work for the year. We started out this session with bipartisan agreement to act on many issues important to Minnesotans:  the opioid crisis, elder abuse, tax conformity, sexual harassment, school safety, and more. The Legislature had an opportunity this year to protect elders and vulnerable adults; make schools safer and class sizes smaller, lower health care costs, tackle distracted driving, reform gun safety laws, and address a $3 billion backlog of statewide construction projects. Minnesotans from every county and all walks of life visited the Capitol and urged lawmakers t find common ground to accomplish this important work.

After 12 weeks of meetings, hearings, and debates, the Legislature passed bills that I am proud to have supported and some that missed the mark on crucial policy issues important to Minnesotans. Without approval of state emergency funding for our schools, budget shortfalls will create instability for at least 52 local school districts that could lead to teacher layoffs and larger class sizes, denying our kids the individualized attention they need to learn and grow. Continue reading “Sen. Melisa Franzen (SD49) Update: June 8, 2018”