Rep. Kim Hicks awarded fellowship to attend acclaimed Midwestern leadership institute
SAINT PAUL, Minn. - This weekend, State Representative Kim Hicks (DFL – Rochester) will meet with fellow lawmakers from Minnesota, 10 other Midwestern states, and four Canadian provinces in Madison, Wis., for The Council of State Governments' 31st annual Bowhay Institute for Legislative Leadership Development (BILLD). Rep. Hicks is among 39 select lawmakers chosen to participate in a training program that annually identifies and assists promising state leaders in the Midwest.
“Strong, stable, and trustworthy leadership at the Federal level is severely lacking, leaving many Americans to turn to state and local officials for protection from the fallout,” said Rep. Hicks. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to grow in my role as an elected leader so I can serve my community and my state even better.”
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. Since 1995, more than 1,000 lawmakers have graduated from the Bowhay Institute.
The goal of the national nonpartisan organization is to assist and advance state government by providing research assistance, professional development and educational opportunities, interstate consulting services, and public policy trends analysis.
A program of The Council of State Governments' Midwestern Office, the 2026 BILLD program will include 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 analyzes a variety of public policy issues.
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