CONTRIBUTED PHOTO From left to right, Rep. Dan Gelbach, Sen. Kara Warme and Rep. Brett Barker recently attended the Bowhay Institute for Legislative Leadership Development (BILLD) at the Wisconsin Capitol in Madison.

Sen. Kara Warme (R-Ames), who represents Marshall County in the Iowa Senate, was among 39 select lawmakers chosen to participate in a training program that annually identifies and assists promising state leaders in the Midwest.

Senator Warme 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 (BILLD).

“The Bowhay Institute is one of the premier leadership training programs in the nation,” says Iowa Sen. Amy Sinclair, who serves as co-chair of the institute’s steering committee. “The legislatures in the region have benefited greatly from the skills their members have gained through this unique educational experience. Many of the graduates now hold key leadership positions in their state.”

Since 1995, more than 1,000 lawmakers have graduated from the Bowhay Institute. State legislators from Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin are chosen to participate through a competitive, nonpartisan selection process. Members of the Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, and Saskatchewan and legislative assemblies are selected by their caucuses to take part in the program.

BILLD was founded in 1995 to help new legislators meet the demands of increased policy responsibility being shifted to the states and, in many states, term limits and high legislative turnover. These two emerging forces highlight the shortage of training available for legislators — a void that BILLD aims to fill.

“In this time of so much political division, I appreciate bipartisan opportunities to study leadership and good governance. We brainstormed together across topics as broad as state budgets, justice system reform, mental health, and legislative oversight. I’ll take all the good ideas I can find, whether they come from another state, another political party, or even our neighbors in Canada,” Warme said.

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. In addition to curriculum designed to develop leadership skills, the program analyzed a variety of public policy issues, including the economy, trade, and criminal justice policy.

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. The program is funded through grants from foundation and corporate sponsors and an in-kind contribution provided by The Council of State Governments’ Midwestern Office.

Founded in 1933, The Council of State Governments has national headquarters in Lexington, Ky., and regional offices in Atlanta, Chicago (Lombard, Ill.), New York City and Sacramento. The goal of the national, nonpartisan organization is to assist and advance state government by providing research assistance, professional development opportunities, interstate consulting services, and suggested state legislation.