Melissa Halvorson Wiklund

SF 472, The Alec Smith Emergency Insulin Act (Introduced and first reading 01/24/2019). This bill would establish an insulin assistance program; establishing the insulin assistance account in the special revenue fund; requiring drug manufacturers to pay an insulin product fee; providing for emergency refills; appropriating money.

Transportation Advocate Award (2014): In appreciation for her dedication towards the improvement of the I-494 corridor and the building of the 77th Street Underpass, Sen. Melissa Wiklund (DFL-Bloomington) was presented with the I-494 Corridor Commission Transportation Advocate Award in 2014. The award is given by the I-494 Corridor Commission which includes members from Bloomington, Richfield, Edina, Eden Prairie and Minnetonka.

The 2014 bonding bill included $24.4 million in grants for local road improvement; Sen. Wiklund lobbied to have the 77th Street Underpass included in receiving funding from these highly competitive grants. Building the Underpass provided an essential link between the cities of Richfield and Bloomington, which created better connections with the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, the Metro Transit South Garage, and the Mall of America. This facilitated economic development and strengthened the regional transportation network.

Wiklund was first elected to the Minnesota Senate in 2012. 91st Legislative Session (2019-2020) (second half of Senate term) Committees: Commerce and Consumer Protection Finance and Policy, Health and Human Services Finance and Policy, Local Government.

Wiklund was raised in Bloomington, Minnesota and graduated from Kennedy High School. Prior to her service in the Senate, Sen. Wiklund served on the Bloomington School Board for three years. She was elected to the Bloomington School Board in 2009 and later became its chair. On the School Board, Sen. Wiklund chaired the Legislative and Superintendent Evaluation Committees as well as participating on the Labor Management Committee. She attended the University of Minnesota, graduating with a B.E.E. and a degree in Interior Design in 1991.

The 77th Street Underpass has been a needed project for more than 20 years, and this transportation grant provided a substantial amount of the necessary funding towards final completion of the project.

Melissa Halvorson Wiklund (born 1962) is a Minnesota politician and member of the Minnesota Senate. A member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), she represents District 50 in the southern Twin Cities metropolitan area, which includes the cities of Bloomington and Richfield. Senator Wiklund’s legislative priorities include education, health care, and job creation.

SF 1708, Spoken Language Health Care Interpreter Registry. This bill would create a registry of interpreters that pass a test in English on health care terms and interpreter ethics and standards to minimize errors and restore patient confidence. In addition to registered interpreters, the bill includes a tier called “certified interpreters.” To get this designation on the registry, interpreters would need to have a certification in health care interpreting from an organization specified by the Department of Health.