Barker

Last weekend brought the adjournment of the 91st General Assembly “Sine Die.” It’s been the ultimate privilege being a voice for Story and Marshall Counties in the Iowa House. After a marathon 34 hour weekend session, we added meaningful property tax reform to the list of accomplishments of the 91st General Assembly. My colleagues and I were committed to getting a property tax bill to the Governor’s desk before going back home. I committed two years ago that I would not be outworked and I am proud that 24 of my bills passed the House in the 91st General Assembly, 12 of which were signed by the Governor.

Top Accomplishments for the 91st General Assembly

Continued our efforts to lower the tax burden on Iowans with historic property tax reform. By reining in out-of-control government spending, buying down the education levy, and increasing transparency, we are finally putting the taxpayer first and delivering an estimated $4.2 billion in property tax relief over six years.

Sent a clear message to career criminals with policies to keep violent, repeat offenders off our streets and away from our loved ones by making Iowa a true “three strikes and you’re out” state.

Protected access to clean water for generations to come with record investment into water quality monitoring, infrastructure improvement, and “edge-of-field” practices.

Expanded apprenticeship and training programs to equip Iowans for high-demand careers and meet the state’s urgent workforce needs by investing in the Iowans who want to work with their hands to meet the real, immediate needs of Iowans.

Ensured fair hiring practices by eliminating affirmative action and DEI mandates in state government, ensuring Iowans are hired based on merit and ability.

Established a permanent, $3 million annual funding source dedicated to life-saving pediatric cancer research.

Empowered teachers with new tools to manage violent and disruptive behavior in their classrooms.

Returned K-12 education to core academic values by prioritizing American civics, removing age-inappropriate materials, and ensuring parents–not politics–are in the driver’s seat when it comes to their kids’ education.

Put common-sense limits on screen time in schools by prohibiting cell phones during instructional time and limiting screen time to one hour for grades K-5.

Strengthened school security by creating threat assessment teams to identify risks and coordinate safety efforts between schools, law enforcement, and mental health experts.

Refocused higher education on academic excellence and intellectual diversity while lowering costs for Iowa students.

Promoted a healthier Iowa by improving nutrition education for health care professionals and ensuring SNAP benefits are only used for healthy foods.

Reformed the Governor’s Emergency Powers to protect Iowans’ fundamental rights. Even in the event of an emergency, a Governor cannot close places of worship, change election law, or regulate conduct within a private residence.

Introduced common-sense safeguards to our public assistance programs so they can continue to provide for the Iowans who truly need it, like introducing work requirements, ensuring SNAP benefits only go to healthy foods, and verifying citizenship or immigration status before administering benefits.

Enhanced road safety by requiring English proficiency for commercial drivers to ensure clear communication and compliance on Iowa’s highways.

Protected girls’ sports and women’s spaces.

Protected taxpayer dollars from being spent on sex reassignment surgeries.

Continued our work to support and encourage strong families in Iowa by improving our foster care system, passing parental leave for state employees, and requiring that adoptive parents are treated the same as biological parents in parental leave policies.

Increased access to health care in rural Iowa by eliminating barriers to birthing centers, streamlining services, and increasing funding to address health care shortages.

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.

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