Week 6 is complete and the first legislative funnel deadline is rapidly approaching. The next two weeks will be very busy with subcommittee and committee meetings as legislators try to get bills passed by committee in order to keep them alive for the session. On Thursday, I had the privilege to floor manage a bill for the first time. HF383 passed unanimously and would allow Iowans quicker access to medically supervised synthetic psilocybin for refractory mental health conditions once approved and rescheduled by FDA and DEA.

A bill that I managed in the Economic Growth & Technology Committee, House File 133, passed the House Economic Growth and Technology Committee this week with bipartisan support. The bill creates a vacant school building demolition grant program to be administered by IEDA for the demolition of vacant buildings owned or proposed to be owned by a local government. In the Commerce Committee we advanced the Governor’s Energy Bill. Iowa needs a forward-focused, all-of-the-above energy strategy that serves to keep consumer prices low and position Iowa for future growth.

House HHS Committee advances health care workforce bills

Over the last two weeks, the House Health and Human Services Committee has advanced many bills to address the health care workforce needs of Iowa.

Physician Assistant Compact – HF300 adds Iowa to the interstate license for Physician Assistants Compact. 14 states currently have enacted this compact (Including Nebraska, Minnesota and Wisconsin). The compact is effective and is now in the implementation process which will take 18 to 24 months.

Assaults on Health Care Providers – HF310 expands the health care provider definition under the code chapter that provides enhanced penalties for assaulting a person engaged in certain occupations.

Birth Centers – HF277 removes the requirement that birth centers must obtain a certificate of need prior to opening or expanding their service.

The following bills concentrate on the medical training at our state public hospital and medical school. These bills aim to focus our taxpayer funded institutions on intentional efforts to grow the health care workforce of all of Iowa. The data shows that if you do your medical school training and your residency training in one state, you are far more likely to stay and practice in this state. Unfortunately, the University of Iowa’s retention of physician workforce in Iowa is not providing results for the entire state, and these bills aim to make improvements while continuing the exceptional medical training received at UIHC.

Prioritizing Iowans, Rural Rotation – HF301 codifies requirements that were placed into session law in 2019 in House File 532. Additionally, it adds fellowships to the requirement that UIHC prioritize Iowans.

UIHC Medical Residencies – HF379 requires the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics to offer an interview for the medical residencies of some of the most-needed specialties in Iowa to those with an Iowa connection. Additionally, this bill requires UIHC to offer DMU and UI medical students the option to participate in an audition clinical in the specialty of the residency for which they are applying.

3-year Medical School Study – HF386 requires the University of Iowa and Des Moines University to study the feasibility of transitioning their medical schools to 3-year programs.

In-State Training – HF137 requires the University of Iowa medical school and dental school to have at least 80% of their students be residents of Iowa. This bill also requires an annual report by UI regarding the same schools and UIHC medical residencies demographic information.

My subcommittees

HSB146: A bill for an act relating to child placements, including the prioritization of certain persons for child placement and the implementation of the 30 days to family model, and making an appropriation.

HSB163: A bill for an act relating to enclosed structures on private docks and required insurance.

HF320: A bill for an act relating to the right to try Act.

HF374: A bill for an act relating to the delegation of custodial rights and duties with respect to a child.

HSB151: A bill for an act relating to nonopioid drugs on the medical assistance preferred drug list, and health carriers’ development of a pain management access plan.

Some bills passed by the House

House File 303 – Prior Authorization in Health Care

House File 175 – In-State Tuition for Veterans and their Families

House File 312 – Psychiatric Deterioration

House File 318 – Breast Imaging Cost Sharing

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 brett.barker@legis.iowa.gov.

Listening posts

I want to hear from you! Join me for conversation about the legislative session at listening posts throughout the 51st District over the coming months. Stay tuned for the next round of listening posts!

On March 6, the Nevada Foundation is holding the first of a quarterly men’s event, called a TOAST, to raise up our community with philanthropic giving. We will meet at The Well Brewery + Market for one hour. During this hour, we will share about a giving campaign we are collecting funds for and we’ll have a short presentation from a local non-profit who could potentially benefit from the funds. The rest of the time is for fellowship.

What do you need to do? Show up, bring a male friend if you’d like, listen and be prepared to make a donation. We are suggesting $50 and hoping for at least 50 men to come, making our contribution to the campaign at least $2,500.

This is a casual event and we hope you will leave feeling good and maybe even making some new connections! Feel free to share this invitation with other Nevada men! Thank you for supporting our community!

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Brett Barker, a Republican from Nevada, represents District 51 in the Iowa House.