Representative Barker met with fellow lawmakers from 11 Midwestern states and four Canadian provinces on July 17-21 in Madison, Wis., for The Council of State Governments' 31st annual Bowhay Institute for Legislative Leadership Development. "The Bowhay Institute is one of the premier leadership training programs in the nation," said Iowa Sen. Amy Sinclair, who serves as co-chair of the institute's steering committee. Since 1995, more than 1,000 lawmakers have graduated from the Bowhay Institute. A program of The Council of State Governments' Midwestern Office, the 2026 BILLD program included courses and seminars conducted by policy experts, Midwestern legislative leaders and professional development trainers. The Bowhay Institute for Legislative Leadership Development is named in honor of the late James Bowhay, longtime director of The Council of State Governments' Midwestern Office.