Franke W.

In 2005 Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer appointed Franke to chair the Montana Human Rights Commission. In 2006 she was elected to a seat in the Montana State House of Representatives, re-elected for a second term in 2008, and elected by her colleagues to serve as Speaker Pro Tempore in the 2009-11 term. She served on the House Education and House State Administration and Veteran’s Affairs committees in 2007 and again in 2009. In 2008-09 Franke chaired the House Interim Committee on State Administration and Veteran’s Affairs. She also serves on the Governor’s Capital Financial Advisory Council.

Franke worked with the Democratic Women’s Caucus to develop legislation on pay equity and closing the gender wage gap and sponsored of a landmark piece of legislation in the 2009 (it was however defeated) to achieve those objectives. She was also recently elected by the American Political Science Association membership to serve on the APSA Governing Council. In 2009 she was appointed to serve on the Environmental Quality Council created by the Montana Environmental Protection Act to monitor its implementation. Along with Representative David Roundstone (D Lame Deer, MT), Franke organized a Clean Energy Legislative Caucus in 2009.

Franke has also served on the Board of Directors of the Gallatin Human Rights Network (1994-2000) and was one of its founding members; on the Board of Directors, of Congregation Beth Shalom (2006-09); and is Co-Chair of the Social Action Committee for Congregation Beth Shalom (2007-10).