Resiliency and Workforce

Americans are the best in the world at responding to and rebuilding from natural disaster, but we all know that we can do more to proactively plan for and prevent disasters before they start. That is why I filed HF 2158 which creates a statewide resilience plan for natural disaster. This will leverage Iowa’s strengths such as the Iowa Flood Center to help our state leaders better protect Iowans from natural hazards such as flooding. The bill has passed subcommittee in both the House and the Senate and is on track for the first funnel deadline.

As many of you know, last year, I was the bill manager for SF383, which provides for much needed reforms for Pharmacy Benefit Managers. Well, it’s a bad week to be a PBM. AG Brenna Bird has filed a lawsuit against 18 PBMs asserting they increased the drug costs of Iowans. The Trump administration’s FTC issued a landmark settlement with Express Scripts targeting the rebate model that drives up costs to consumers. To top it all off, Congress passed much needed PBM reform in the Medicare system, something long sought by Iowa’s Congressional delegation including Senator Chuck Grassley and Rep. Miller-Meeks. I’m proud that Iowa is a leader in this fight that will ultimately lower costs and ensure healthcare access for Iowans.

The Iowa Skilled Workforce Act

This week, House Republicans introduced the Iowa Skilled Workforce Act – a common-sense plan to bridge the gap between our state’s available jobs and the skilled workers needed to fill them. At its heart, this bill is a strategic partnership between the state, our schools and the trades. The deal is simple: The state provides the funding and the flexibility. In return, Iowa’s industry leaders shape and train the next generation of workers.

This legislation focuses on two core pillars:

1. State Funding: Investing in Growth

This bill increases the 84E Apprenticeship Act funding from $3 million to $4.5 million. This funding provides annual financial assistance to existing Registered Apprenticeship programs across the state.

It also creates the Career Training Physical Expansion Program. This provides the financial backing to build new, state-of-the-art facilities at community colleges and within both union and non-union private sector programs. If you have the drive to expand training in high-demand fields, the state is going to be your partner.

2. Local Flexibility: Empowering Experts – We are giving schools and programs the flexibility they need to move at the speed of business.

HSB 674 removes red tape for teachers, allowing veteran tradespeople with 3,000 hours of experience to lead classrooms.

It empowers community colleges to set the financial aid parameters for the Last-Dollar Scholar program, ensuring they can adapt to the specific needs of their local high-demand industries.

This bill encourages pre-apprenticeship programs in K-12 schools to show students a clear path to success before they even graduate.

And it codifies the 3:1 ratio for plumbing and HVAC to match the electrical trade, creating a consistent, proven framework for safety and quality.

From the plumbers and HVAC technicians who keep our homes safe, to the electricians and builders who power our growth, the “trades” are what keep Iowa running. In the Iowa House, we’ve worked to shift the focus and state resources to these educational programs that Iowans can actually use, meeting real, urgent needs of their fellow Iowans.

This is a partnership built to last. It’s an investment in the Iowan who wants to work with their hands, and a guarantee to the taxpayer that their investment will result in a stronger, more prosperous state.

I’m grateful for the opportunity to work hard on your behalf in Des Moines! Follow “Barker for Iowa” on social media channels to stay up to date on my work. Please reach out to me about any questions, concerns or suggestions at brett.barker@legis.iowa.gov.