Mary Franson

Mary Franson (born 1 March 1977) is a Minnesota politician and member of the Minnesota House of Representatives. A member of the Republican Party of Minnesota, she represents District 8B, which includes portions of Douglas and Otter Tail counties in the west central part of the state. She is also a licensed child care provider and a former employee of AT&T.[1][2]

Mary Franson
Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
from the 8B district
11B (2011–2013)
Assumed office
January 4, 2011
Preceded byMary Ellen Otremba
Personal details
Born
Mary Bensoni

(1977-03-01) March 1, 1977
Saginaw, Minnesota
Political partyRepublican Party of Minnesota
ChildrenThree (Helena, Karl, Kahllin)
ResidenceAlexandria, Minnesota
Alma materUniversity of Minnesota Duluth
ProfessionChild care provider, legislator

Early life and education

Franson graduated from AlBrook High School in Saginaw and the University of Minnesota Duluth in Duluth with a B.A. in psychology and humanities. She and her family live in Alexandria.[1]

Political career

Franson was first elected to the House in 2010, succeeding Rep. Mary Ellen Otremba, who did not seek re-election.

On election night, November 6, 2012, Franson ended the night with a one-vote margin of victory, triggering an automatic recount under Minnesota law.[3][4] After 32 voters received ballots for the incorrect race and three additional voters were not accounted for on the voter tally, a judge ruled that 35 ballots should be pulled from the total at random. The new ballots were counted, and Franson had a 12-vote lead. Challenger Bob Cunniff conceded on November 29.[5]

Franson won her third term in the 2014 election,[6] her fourth term in the 2016 election,[7] her fifth term in the 2018 election,[8]and a sixth in 2020.[9]

Franson has served on several committees during her legislative career, including committees for Health and Human Services Finance, Early Childhood Finance and Policy, Higher Education Finance & Policy, Health & Human Services Reform, Aging & Long-Term Care Policy, and was the chair for the Subcommittee on Childcare Access & Affordability.[10]

Political positions

Abortion

In 2017, Franson authored a bill to ban any funds from all state-funded healthcare programs from being used for abortions.[11] While the bill passed both houses of the Minnesota State Legislature, then-Governor Mark Dayton ultimately vetoed it.[12]

Child care

As a former child-care provider, Franson has authored multiple bills on child-care-related issues. She was a vocal opponent of an executive order issued by then-Governor Mark Dayton allowing for the unionization of child-care providers.[13] In May 2018, Franson called[14] for the state to take action against child-care fraud in Minnesota uncovered by KMSP-TV.[15] That same month, Governor Dayton signed into law a bill authored by Franson that unanimously passed both of Minnesota's legislative houses. The bill cut regulations on child-care providers that were viewed as burdensome.[16]

Environment

On April 20, 2012, Franson objected to the opening prayer on the House floor, where the House Chaplain Rev. Francis Grady mentioned Earth Day and tied it to the Gulf oil spill. Franson tweeted that the prayer "may as well been dedicated to 'Mother Earth', coincidence? I think not. 2nd offensive prayer in a month."[17]

In June 2018, Franson was one of four Republican legislators who secured state funding to help clean up two lakes in Alexandria, Minnesota.[18]

Gun control

After the March for Our Lives demonstration on March 24, 2018, Franson authored and shared several posts on Facebook that critics claimed were comparing the survivors of the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting to the Hitler Youth.[19] On March 27, Franson said that she didn't intend to link the protesters to Hitler Youth.[20] On March 28, she apologized and said, "Because of the timing of my posts, I now understand why it appears that I was making a comparison."[21]

Healthcare

Franson authored a bill protecting up to $25,000 of an individual's healthcare saving from debt collectors. The bill was passed unanimously by both Minnesota legislative houses and signed into law by Governor Dayton on May 3, 2018.[22]

On July 1, 2018, a law authored by Franson requiring the licensing of athletic trainers took effect in Minnesota.[23]

LGBT issues

Franson was one of the authors of a bill, introduced on April 28, 2011, seeking to amend the Minnesota State Constitution to define marriage as being "recognized as only a union between one man and one woman."[24]

On April 8, 2014, Franson characterized an anti-bullying bill as "fascism" and an "attack on the Bible and conservative Christians."[25]

On November 9, 2017, after the election of transgender politicians Andrea Jenkins and Phillipe Cunningham to the Minneapolis City Council earlier in the week, Franson tweeted that "A guy who thinks he's a girl is still a guy with a mental health condition."[26] The tweet drew criticism from fellow state lawmakers, many of whom pointed out that being transgender is not considered a mental illness by the American Psychological Association. Franson posted a defiant apology on Facebook, stating that she does "not apologize for not conforming to the PC world where I'm supposed to go along with fantasy and participate in it. This isn't the first time I've offended the social justice warriors and it won't be the last."[27]

Women's issues

Franson has authored a bill to ban female genital mutilation in Minnesota.[28][29]

Electoral history
Summary of the 2010 General Election for House District 11B[30]
Party Candidate Votes Percentage
Republican Mary Franson 7,798 48.85%
 
Democratic–Farmer–Labor Amy L. Hunter 5,147 32.25%
 
Independent Bert Pexsa 2,680 16.79%
 
Summary of the 2012 General Election for House District 8B[31]
Party Candidate Votes Percentage
Republican Mary Franson 10,642 47.52%
 
Democratic–Farmer–Labor Bob Cunniff 10,630 47.47%
 
Summary of the 2014 General Election for House District 8B[32]
Party Candidate Votes Percentage
Republican Mary Franson 9,270 58.41%
 
Democratic–Farmer–Labor Jay Sieling 6,565 41.36%
 
Summary of the 2016 General Election for House District 8B[33]
Party Candidate Votes Percentage
Republican Mary Franson 14,749 64.87%
 
Democratic–Farmer–Labor Gail Kulp 7,962 35.02%
 
Summary of the 2018 General Election for House District 8B[34]
Party Candidate Votes Percentage
Republican Mary Franson 11,831 62.04%
 
Democratic–Farmer–Labor Gail Kulp 7,231 37.92%
 
Summary of the 2020 General Election for House District 8B[35]
Party Candidate Votes Percentage
Republican Mary Franson 17,307 68.03%
 
Democratic–Farmer–Labor Carol Wenner 8,101 31.84%
 

References
  1. "Legislator Record: Franson, Mary". Minnesota Legislators Past & Present. Retrieved November 23, 2012.
  2. "Meet Mary". Franson for State House. Archived from the original on February 11, 2013. Retrieved November 23, 2012.
  3. "1 Vote Separates Candidates In MN District 8B". CBS Minnesota. November 7, 2012. Retrieved November 23, 2012.
  4. "2012 Minnesota Statutes: 204C.35 Federal, State, and Judicial Races". The Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Retrieved November 23, 2012.
  5. Bierschbach, Briana (November 29, 2012). "Republican Mary Franson wins House race by 12 votes". Politics in Minnesota.
  6. Tellers, Jacob (November 5, 2014). "Clean sweep for area GOP".
  7. "Republican Mary Franson wins House race by 12 votes". Fergus Falls Daily Journal. January 6, 2017.
  8. Edenloff, Al (November 7, 2018). "Update 1:55 a.m. Final results: Kalina, Meyer, Larson win county board races". Echo Press.
  9. "Index - Election Results". electionresults.sos.state.mn.us. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
  10. "Franson, Mary". Minnesota Legislative Member Record. Retrieved October 10, 2020.
  11. "MN House passes pair of abortion bills". MPR News. April 24, 2017. Retrieved August 5, 2018.
  12. "Dayton vetoes Franson's anti-abortion bill". Alexandria Echo Press. May 10, 2017. Retrieved August 5, 2018.
  13. "Franson says move to unionize day care providers would hurt small businesses, families". The Osakis Review. November 18, 2011. Archived from the original on September 18, 2012. Retrieved November 23, 2012.
  14. "Minnesota Republicans call for crackdown on child-care assistance fraud". Minneapolis StarTribune. May 15, 2018. Retrieved August 5, 2018.
  15. "Millions of dollars in suitcases fly out of MSP, but why?". KMSP/Fox 9. May 13, 2018. Retrieved August 5, 2018.
  16. "Franson's bill to cut childcare regulations is signed into law". Alexandria Echo Press. May 24, 2018. Retrieved August 5, 2018.
  17. Stassen-Berger, Rachel E. (April 20, 2012). "Rep. Franson tweets that Friday's House prayer was 'offensive'". Star Tribune. Retrieved November 23, 2012.
  18. "Lake cleanup plan moves forward". Alexandria Echo Press. June 28, 2018. Retrieved August 5, 2018.
  19. Mullen, Mike (March 27, 2018). "Rep. Mary Franson compares 'March for Our Lives' kids to Hitler Youth". City Pages. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
  20. Van Berkel, Jessie (March 27, 2018). "Rep. Mary Franson's Facebook posts appear to link March for Our Lives participants to Hitler Youth". Star Tribune. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
  21. Woltman, Nick (March 28, 2018). "Franson apologizes for controversial Facebook posts about Parkland students". Twin Cities Pioneer Press. Retrieved March 28, 2018.
  22. "Franson bill protects healthcare savings". Alexandria Echo Press. May 9, 2018. Retrieved August 5, 2018.
  23. "New Laws In Minnesota Effective July 2018". Southwest Minneapolis Patch. July 12, 2018. Retrieved August 5, 2018.
  24. "HF 1613: Marriage recognizd as only a union between one man and one woman, and constitutional amendment proposed". April 28, 2011.
  25. Rupar, Aaron (April 9, 2014). "Mary Franson characterizes anti-bullying bill as "fascism," GLBT community as "special interest" [VIDEO]". City Pages. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
  26. "After Minneapolis election, lawmaker criticized for anti-transgender tweet". Twin Cities Pioneer Press. Associated Press. November 10, 2017. Retrieved November 15, 2017.
  27. "Anti-transgender tweet draws criticism for Minnesota lawmaker". SC Times. November 11, 2017. Retrieved November 15, 2017.
  28. "Female genital mutilation bill passes Minnesota House". KMSP/Fox 9. May 15, 2018. Retrieved August 5, 2018.
  29. "Women share stories of genital mutilation, support bill to fight the procedure". MPR News. April 9, 2018. Retrieved August 5, 2018.
  30. "Ten: Minnesota Votes – Minnesota Election Results 2010". Minnesota Legislative Manual 2011–2012 (PDF). Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. November 2, 2010. p. 536. Retrieved November 15, 2017.
  31. "Ten: Minnesota Elections 2014". Minnesota Legislative Manual 2013–2014 (PDF). Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. November 6, 2012. p. 544. Retrieved November 15, 2017.
  32. "Minnesota Elections 2014". Minnesota Legislative Manual 2015–2016 (PDF). Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. November 4, 2014. p. 542. Retrieved November 15, 2017.
  33. "Minnesota Elections 2016". Minnesota Legislative Manual 2017–2018 (PDF). Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. November 8, 2016. p. 530. Retrieved November 15, 2017.
  34. Minnesota Election Results - Results for State Representative District 8B - Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State. November 7, 2018. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
  35. Index - Election Results. November 19, 2020. Retrieved November 19, 2020.
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