ST. PAUL (LEARFIELD) – Later this week U-S Senator Tina Smith will officially introduce legislation to hold insulin manufacturers accountable for skyrocketing prices.

Minnesotan Nicole Smith-Holt’s son Alec died when the price of his insulin forced him to ration his supply. She’s been a vocal advocate for making insulin affordable–and she supports the bill.

“Something that is going to be an amazing safety net in every state,” said Smith-Holt. “It will prevent death, it will be so important for people who are struggling to get that insulin.”

Senator Smith’s new bill would provide emergency access to insulin for people in Minnesota and across the country who can’t afford the skyrocketing price of the drug.

A similar measure failed at the state level last session, but Smith-Holt is hopeful it’ll pass next session.

“I think people need to put their egos aside and work together in a bipartisan way to support the people of Minnesota,” said Smith-Holt. “I think that more education needs to be provided to some of the people who were unsure how the bill would operate.”

The bill would also hold makers of insulin responsible for price increases.