Minnesota Senate Majority Leader Kari Dziedzic is stepping down from her leadership role due to health issues, the Minneapolis lawmaker announced Friday.

Dziedzic, a fifth-term state senator who the Senate Democratic-Farmer-Labor Caucus named leader in late 2022, said she will step down once her Senate DFL colleagues find a replacement. The 2024 legislative session is a little more than a week away.

“Unfortunately, in the last week, I learned that my cancer has returned, and I am facing some serious challenges,” Dziedzic said in a statement. “As we prepare for the next session, I decided it is in the best interest of the caucus for me to step down as Majority Leader after our caucus has selected a new leader.”

Dziedzic had surgery to remove a tumor last March after learning she had cancer. It happened during one of the busiest legislative sessions in years, but Dziedzic said her illness didn’t slow down efforts to pass significant legislation.

Dzeidzic said it was an honor to lead the new Senate DFL Majority last year during one of the most consequential legislative sessions in a generation. Democrats in control of state government passed paid family and medical leave, universal school meals and created protections for abortion access in state law.

Those bills and others, such as universal background checks for gun sales, passed in a 34-33 Senate where Democrats had just a one-seat advantage over Republicans.

Dziedzic in her announcement thanked staff and colleagues for helping her lead her caucus after her diagnosis and urged people to get early checkups, which she said are key to early detection of cancer.

In a statement, Senate Republican Minority Leader Mark Johnson wished his DFL colleague well.

“I am keeping Sen. Dziedzic in prayer after learning her cancer has returned,” Johnson said. “I wish her all the best as she takes care of herself and beats cancer again; I know she will. Her genuine friendship as a fellow caucus leader will be deeply missed.”

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