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    Wiklund, Melissa Halvorson

    Official Senate Web Page Sessions Served    Other Information

    Senate 2013-2022 (District 50); Senate 2023-Present (District 51)

    Party when first elected:  Democratic-Farmer-Labor

    Counties Served:  Hennepin

    BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

    Date of Birth: 10/1/1962
    Birth Place: ,
    Birth County:
    Birth Country:
    Date of Death:
    Gender: Female
    Religion: Christian
    Reported Minority: None Reported
    Other Names:
    City of Residence (when first elected): Bloomington
    Occupation (when first elected): None Listed

    EDUCATION

    John F. Kennedy High School, Bloomington; Secondary; She was an exchange student in Finland in 1981
    University of Minnesota; B.E.E.; Electrical Engineering, 1991

    OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

    School Board/Administration: Bloomington, Minnesota (School Board Chair); 2009 to 2012
    State Board/Commission/Council: Minnesota Governor's Interagency Coordinating Council on Early Childhood Intervention (Senator member; Appointed by Governor Tim Walz); 07/05/2023 to ? [Appointed]

    FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

    Spouse: Craig
    Children: Two children
    Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:

    GENERAL NOTES

    Special Legislative Concerns: education, early education, health care, environment, and job creation.

    Religion provided by Politics in Minnesota, The Directory, 2013-2014.

    Most recent term photo
    Click to view
    Total Days Served: 4456

    SESSIONS SERVED

    94th Legislative Session (2025-2026)

      Session Details
    Body: Senate
    District: 51
    Elected: 11/5/2024
    Residence: Bloomington
    Term of Office: 1/2/2023 to 1/3/2027
    Counties Represented: Hennepin
    Occupation: Legislator
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Committees:
    • Commerce and Consumer Protection
    • Finance
    • Health and Human Services (Chair) [She was chair beginning 2/3/2025. She was co-chair from 1/14/2025 to 2/3/2025.]
    • Human Services
    term photo
    Click to view

    93rd Legislative Session (2023-2024)

      Session Details
    Body: Senate
    District: 51
    Elected: 11/8/2022
    Residence: Bloomington
    Term of Office: 1/2/2023 to 1/3/2027
    Counties Represented: Hennepin
    Occupation: Legislator
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Committees:
    • Commerce and Consumer Protection
    • Finance
    • Health and Human Services (Chair)
    • Human Services
    term photo
    Click to view

    92nd Legislative Session (2021-2022)

      Session Details
    Body: Senate
    District: 50
    Elected: 11/3/2020
    Residence: Bloomington
    Term of Office: 1/4/2021 to 1/1/2023
    Counties Represented: Hennepin
    Occupation: Legislator
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Special Session Bills Authored:     2021 1st Sp.S. - Author
    Committees:
    • Health and Human Services Finance and Policy
    • Human Services Reform Finance and Policy
    • Technology and Reform Policy
    term photo
    Click to view

    91st Legislative Session (2019-2020) (second half of Senate term)

      Session Details
    Body: Senate
    District: 50
    Elected: 11/8/2016
    Residence: Bloomington
    Term of Office: 1/2/2017 to 1/3/2021
    Counties Represented: Hennepin
    Occupation: Legislator
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Special Session Bills Authored:  2020 1st Sp.S. - Chief Author    2020 1st Sp.S. - Author
    Committees:
    • Commerce and Consumer Protection Finance and Policy
    • Health and Human Services Finance and Policy
    • Local Government
    term photo
    Click to view

    90th Legislative Session (2017-2018)

      Session Details
    Body: Senate
    District: 50
    Elected: 11/8/2016
    Residence: Bloomington
    Term of Office: 1/2/2017 to 1/3/2021
    Counties Represented: Hennepin
    Occupation: Legislator
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Committees:
    • E-12 Finance
    • Health and Human Services Finance and Policy
    • Local Government
    term photo
    Click to view

    89th Legislative Session (2015-2016) (second half of Senate term)

      Session Details
    Body: Senate
    District: 50
    Elected: 11/6/2012
    Residence: Bloomington
    Term of Office: 1/7/2013 to 1/1/2017
    Counties Represented: Hennepin
    Occupation: Legislator
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Committees:
    • Education
    • Finance: E-12 Policy and Budget Division
    • Health, Human Services and Housing
    • State and Local Government
    term photo
    Click to view

    88th Legislative Session (2013-2014)

      Session Details
    Body: Senate
    District: 50
    Elected: 11/6/2012
    Residence: Bloomington
    Term of Office: 1/7/2013 to 1/1/2017
    Counties Represented: Hennepin
    Occupation: None Listed
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
    Special Session Bills Authored:     2013 1st Sp.S. - Author
    Committees:
    • Education
    • Finance: E-12 Division
    • Health, Human Services and Housing
    term photo
    Click to view

    OTHER INFORMATION

    These files are available in the Legislative Reference Library.

    News Sources

    The Library maintains newspaper clippings on individual legislators during their terms. Clippings are available from 1973 to the present in a variety of formats: 1973-1999, microfiche available at the Library; 2000-2009, scanned in yearly compilations and digitally available on the legislative network; 2009-present, archived in a searchable database maintained by the Library and available on the legislative network.

    Photographs

    Melissa Wiklund and Jason Isaacson on the Minnesota Senate floor, St. Paul, Minnesota 6/30/2021. Melissa Wiklund and Jason Isaacson review legislation after a floor session. Melissa Wiklund is a Democrat from Bloomington and Jason Isaacson is a Democrat from Shoreview. Photo credit: A.J. Olmscheid, Senate Media Services.
    Melissa Wiklund and Susan Kent on the Minnesota Senate floor, St. Paul, Minnesota 3/29/2018. Melissa Wiklund and Susan Kent discuss legislation during a floor session in the Senate Chamber. Melissa Wiklund is a Democrat from Bloomington and Susan Kent is a Democrat from Woodbury. Photo credit: David Oakes, Senate Media Services.

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