A
weekly
message
from
your
Senator:
Dear
Friends,
This
week
marks
the
first
votes
on
the
Senate
floor
on
important
and
timely
legislation.
Senate
File
1
and
Senate
File
3
were
debated
and
voted
on
(more
details
below)
as
we
aim
to
provide
health
insurance
premium
relief
for
125,000
Minnesotans
and
tax
conformity
that
will
benefit
Minnesota’s
middle
class.
A
quick
note
on
my
vote
in
support
S.F.1,
which
aims
to
provide
premium
tax
relief,
I
was
the
only
Democrat
to
vote
with
the
Republican
majority
on
this
important
policy
and
relief
measure.
Although
I
am
not
100%
in
agreement
with
the
bill,
I
did
what
I
believed
is
in
the
best
interest
of
my
constituents
who
have
contacted
me
and
desperately
want
the
legislature
to
act.
I
am
confident
we
will
find
a
path
to
compromise
and
my
vote
reflects
my
willingness
to
take
all
ideas
to
the
negotiating
table
to
find
common
ground.
Please
reach
out
to
me
with
your
questions
or
concerns
on
this
important
legislation.
Sincerely,
Senator
Melisa
Franzen
Health
Insurance
Premium
Relief
This
week
the
Senate
fast-tracked
Senate
File
1
through
four
committee
hearings
and
voted
on
the
Senate
floor
(watch the
Senate
Floor
debate
again
here).
The
bill
provides
for
health
insurance
premium
relief
for
some
Minnesotans
purchasing
their
coverage
through
the
individual
health
insurance
market
and
includes
several
health
insurance
reform
initiatives.
Providing
premium
relief
to
Minnesotans
who
are
struggling
with
sky-rocketing
health
insurance
premiums
is
an
idea
supported
by
Democrats
and
Republicans
alike.
However,
despite
my
vote
in
support,
the
Senate
plan
will
delay
urgently-needed
premium
relief
until
2018.
Minnesotans
need
relief
now,
not
later.
Under
a
proposal
introduced
by
Governor
Dayton
more
than
70
days
ago,
Minnesotans
purchasing
insurance
on
the
individual
market
would
see
an
immediate
25%
reduction
on
their
premiums
in
2017.
It
is
the
fastest
and
most
efficient
way
to
keep
more
money
in
the
pockets
of
Minnesotans
who
are
struggling
to
absorb
the
massive
premium
increases.
I
will
continue
to
work
with
my
colleagues
on
both
sides
of
the
aisle
to
bridge
the
differences
in
proposals
to
benefit
Minnesotans
who
need
relief
now.
Senate
File
1
now
awaits
a
vote
in
the
House.
(S.F.
1).
Session's
first
day
of
floor
votes
provides
tax
relief
for
Minnesota
Families
The
Minnesota
Senate
provided
much-needed
tax
relief
to
thousands
of
Minnesotans
with
its
first
day
of
bill
passage
in the
2017
Session.
The
tax
conformity
bill
passed
both
the
House
and
Senate
unanimously.
The
Legislature
worked
together
to
quickly
pass
a
$21.7
million
middle-class
tax-relief
package
in
the
first
10
days
of
the
2017
Session.
This
means
less
confusion
for
taxpayers
and
tax
preparers,
and
more
tax
savings
for
teachers,
homeowners,
small
business
owners,
and
thousands
of
other
Minnesotans.
The
Minnesota
Legislature
is
faced
with
considering
tax
conformity
each
time
Congress
updates
the
federal
tax
code.
There
have
been
past
sessions
when
the
Legislature
has
not
been
able
to
afford
to
conform
to
many
federal
tax
benefits,
creating
headaches
–
and
higher
bills
–
for
taxpayers.
This
year’s
quick
conformity
agreement
is
due
in
large
part
to
the
balanced
budget
passed
in
2013.
Specific
tax-relief
measures
in
this
bill
include:
· About
70,000
Minnesota
teachers will
be
able
to
deduct
up
to
$250
of
the
hard-earned
money
they
take
from
their
pockets
and
invest
in
their
classrooms
and
professional
development
each
year.
· About
35,000
Minnesotans
paying
tuition will
save
an
average
$125
by
being
able
to
deduct
up
to
$4,000
in
qualified
tuition
and
related
expenses.
· Combat-injured
veterans who
received
combat-related
severance
payments
from
which
taxes
were
improperly
withheld
will
be
able
to
file
amended
tax
returns
through
Dec.
31,
2018.
· About
80,000
Minnesota
homeowners will
save
an
average
$60by
being
allowed
to
continue
deducting
mortgage
insurance
premiums
paid
during
the
year.This
also
is
cited
as
a
home-buying
incentive
for
those
looking
to
enter
the
housing
market.
· Homeowners
who
lost
their
house
to
foreclosure
or
short
sale
will
see
much-needed
financial
relief by
being
allowed
to
exclude
the
difference
between
their
outstanding
mortgage
balance
and
the
home’s
sale
price
from
taxable
income.
Minnesotans
will
be
able
to
take
advantage
of
the
tax
relief
when
they
begin
filing
their
2016
taxes
on
Jan.
23.
In
most
cases,
Minnesota
taxpayers
will
receive
federal
conformity-related
tax
refunds
without
any
action
required
by
the
taxpayer.
(H.F.
2/S.F.
3)
Use
the
links
below
to
follow
me
for
more
updates
throughout
the
session!
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