Barker Bulletin - Week 3

The third week of session brought more bill work and constituent meetings. This week was notably focused on education. I had the opportunity to meet with representatives from Nevada, Ballard, Colo-NESCO, Collins-Maxwell, and Ames school districts to discuss their budgetary concerns and considerations. The Governor and the Senate have proposed a 2% increase in SSA (State Supplementary Assistance), while the House is exploring various strategies to provide additional funding to our public schools.

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Legislative Highlights:

• HF127 - Rural Representation in County Government: I'm thrilled to announce that I have filed my first bill, HF127. This legislation aims to increase rural representation in county government by requiring that counties with significant urban/rural disparities elect their supervisors by district. This has been a priority for our district, with Representative Dave Deyoe beginning this effort back in 2017. Learn more about this bill here.
• HSB 99 - Pharmacy Benefits Manager (PBM) Reform: I feel like a kid at Christmas! I've been assigned as the bill manager for HSB 99, which focuses on reforming Pharmacy Benefits Manager middlemen to lower drug costs while maintaining access to essential pharmacy services for Iowans. I’ve worked hard for years on this issue, and I am eager to lead its progress. We will hold a subcommittee meeting on Wednesday, February 5th at noon. More details are available here.

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We continued to have committee presentations this week including from the Iowa Utilities Commission (Commerce), Iowa Medicaid (Health and Human Services), Generative AI (Economic Growth & Technology), and Iowa’s deer population (Natural Resources). These presentations are helpful to gather more information and ask questions about issues with potential legislation.

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The House Health and Human Services Committee heard a presentation on progress implementing Iowa’s newly improved Behavioral Health System that will improve outcomes, remove duplication, and create a statewide plan. Recently, the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services announced that the Iowa Primary Care Association will serve statewide as the Administrative Service Organization for the state’s redesigned Behavioral Health System after winning a competitive bidding process.

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This week, we had our first week of floor debate in the Iowa House. Two of the bills we passed were to honor and improve the lives of our National Guard members for all they do

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House Debate:

·????? HF117: National Guard Service Professional Qualifications Scholarship Program (99-0)

·????? HF118: National Guard Service Scholarship Program (99-0)

·????? HF144: Moratorium on New Gambling Licenses (68-31)

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My Subcommittees:

·????? HSB9: Assaults on Healthcare Workers

·????? HF4: Secondary Insurance Coverage and Explanation of Benefits

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I’m grateful for the opportunity to work hard on your behalf this session in Des Moines! Please reach out to me about any questions, concerns, or suggestions at [email protected].