29th BILLD program gives newer lawmakers an opportunity to develop leadership skills for legislative success
More than three dozen state and provincial legislators came together in Madison, Wis. in late August for five days of learning, leadership development and relationship building as part of The Council of State Governments’ 29th annual Bowhay Institute for Legislative Leadership Development.
Serving state and provincial legislators in their first four years of service, BILLD is a signature program of CSG’s Midwestern Legislative Conference. Fellows are selected in the spring via a competitive application process overseen by the MLC’s BILLD Steering Committee.
The 2024 BILLD program was held with participation from a bipartisan, binational group of legislators from across the Midwest.
Read about this year’s class »
This year’s program featured:
- a roundtable discussion on legislative strategies with Illinois House Majority Leader Robyn Gabel, Minnesota House Minority Leader Rep. Lisa Demuth (BILLD Class of 2021), Kansas Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes (BILLD Class of 2017), and Wisconsin Senate President Pro Tempore Patrick Testin (BILLD Class of 2018);
- training on communication, leadership style and competencies, ethics, time and focus management, bipartisan collaboration, negotiation and conflict resolution;
- featured speakers who provided their expertise on the region’s state legislative institutions and how to build excellence in them, the interplay between the legislative and judicial branches, and the enduring legacy of principled political leadership; and
- policy sessions on the Midwest’s labor force and economy, using data and real-life situations to improve public safety outcomes, and U.S.-Canada relations.
Applications for next year’s BILLD program will be available later this year or in early 2025.
