Governmental Affairs
Mary Ann McCollum, Chair, Governmental Affairs Committee
The second half of the 2026 legislative session is underway. Recently, the House debated and approved its version of the fiscal year 2027 budget bills and sent them over to the Senate. House Bill 2003 includes a massive overhaul of higher education funding proposed by Representative Dirk Deaton, House Budget chair, that would institute a funding model for community colleges and four-year universities by pooling the money and redistributing it based on student numbers. As the Senate begins deliberations, there appears to be growing opposition to adopting this model.
Candidate filing for the August 4th primary election ended March 31. A total of 520 candidates filed for offices ranging from circuit judge and State representative to State auditor, the only statewide race on the ballot. Only one of the five State representatives in the Boone County delegation drew an opponent.
Preliminary plans are underway to once again host a candidate and issues forum for the MURA October breakfast.
