Senator Franzen

Melisa Franzen represents District 49 in the southwest Twin Cities metropolitan area. Learn more about Sen. Franzen. Read more news from Sen. Franzen.

Senate POCI Caucus Calls for Suspension of Budget Negotiations, Demands Police Accountability Measures

The members of the Senate POCI Caucus believe that the actions taken by the Minnesota Legislature during July 2020, in the wake of the murder of George Floyd, were simply inadequate in protecting the lives of Black Minnesotans. The legislation passed in July and subsequently signed into law would have not prevented the killing of George Floyd, nor did it prevent the killing of Daunte Wright on April 11, 2021.

Legislature’s POCI Caucus and UBLC Condemn Police Shooting of Daunte Wright, Outline Police Accountability Bills

Today, members of the Minnesota Legislature’s People of Color and Indigenous (POCI) Caucus and United Black Legislative Caucus (UBLC) discussed the police shooting of Daunte Wright and actions DFL legislators are proposing to improve accountability for law enforcement, including: allowing… Read More »Legislature’s POCI Caucus and UBLC Condemn Police Shooting of Daunte Wright, Outline Police Accountability Bills

Senate DFL Members to host virtual STEM Advocacy Day

On Friday, April 9, 2021, Senator Jim Carlson (DFL- Eagan) and Senator Melisa Franzen (DFL- Edina) will host a virtual STEM Advocacy Day at the Capitol to advocate for STEM education funding. STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and math. The event will include presentations from student robotics teams and dialogue with STEM nonprofits in attendance. In advance of the virtual event, Senators Carlson and Franzen released the following statements:

Senator Franzen supports tax relief to Minnesota workers and businesses

On March 11th, 2021, the Minnesota Senate passed Senate File 263, which provides tax relief to Minnesota businesses that received Paycheck Protection Plan loans and to Minnesotans that received unemployment compensation from the CARES Act. After voting yes on the bill, Senator Melisa Franzen (DFL- Edina) released the following statement:

Senate DFL women Senators demand equal rights under the law

The women of the Senate DFL gathered today virtually to rally for Minnesota to finally pass the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). The federal Equal Rights Amendment was originally written in 1923 and finally passed by Congress in 1972. Minnesota ratified the ERA one year later in 1973. After nearly 100 years, the ERA bill was passed in the Minnesota House in 2019, but did not make it past the Republican-controlled Senate.