Federal and state policy and legislative updates

NIRSA’s Government Affairs Committee stays up-to-date on the latest federal and state policy and legislative news through a variety of scanning tools. One particular resource they use is the bi-weekly Policy Pages provided by Active Policy Solutions. (For more on this partnership, along with other SAHEC associations, have with Active Policy Solutions, see below.)

The policy issues included in the Policy Pages document are highlights of a point in time. They are by no means exhaustive and change continually – so matters discussed in the last issue normally will not carry over to the next unless there is some updated action to be discussed.

The Committee encourages NIRSA members to keep themselves informed on federal and state policy issues affecting their work as professionals on campuses. These issues could be specific to higher education, physical activity, or NIRSA’s strategic value areas. If you have an issue that is of concern to your campus, reach out the Government Affairs Committee.

Policy Page documents will be stored, as a resource for NIRSA members, in the NIRSA Connect Community library. You can find them within the “Member Benefits” folder in a subfolder titled “Federal and State Policy Pages.”

In this issue:

Government Updates

Federal Budget

• Federal budget deficit of $864 billion last month shatters one-month record for U.S
• College funding for fall semester still providing a partisan split among lawmakers

Federal Education

• Trump Administration rescinds controversial international student policy
• President Trump asks Treasury Department to review universities’ tax exempts status
• College football season should be cancelled, says U.S. Senator
• Clery Act stepped-up enforcement signaled by U.S. Department of Education
• S. Department of Education’s top civil rights official is stepping down
• How colleges are distributing CARES Act aid to students
• Trump Administration increases pressure to reopen colleges

Federal Legislation

• Protecting Nonprofits from Catastrophic Cash Flow Strain Act (S 4209) has passed Congress
• Success for Rural Students and Communities Act introduced (HR 7497)

Funding News

• Utah economic recovery program making money available to colleges, nonprofits, and certain for-profits

State & Local Government

• States are passing civil liability protection laws
• Mississippi law provides civil protections for employers
• North Carolina litigation protection law
• California passes law to exempt certain small businesses from liability
• New York and Connecticut add four more states to mandatory quarantine restriction list

Louisiana

• Louisiana elementary and secondary school health and safety resolution passes

New Hampshire

• New Hampshire sexual assault, misconduct, and victim’s rights bill passes the state legislature

New York

• New York suspected child abuse mandatory reporters bill amended and being rereviewed by committee

Pennsylvania

• Pennsylvania EKG information and testing bill passes state legislature

Education

• College health centers found to misdiagnose and be inaccessible for care
• College campuses look to enforce new COVID-19 rules to prevent spread
• Back to college updates
• COVID-19 shakes higher education institutions financial future
• Higher education insurance costs are on the rise

Health News

• COVID-19 pandemic hurts student mental health according to new study

Civil Rights News

• University of Texas announces new measures to combat sexual assault
• University of Minnesota considering changes to handling of sexual misconduct complaints

Sports & Recreation

• Return to play updates

About NIRSA’s partnership with Active Policy Solutions

As an association, NIRSA strives to monitor and track policy and legislative issues with the potential to impact our members or the campus communities they serve. These issues are wide ranging and may pertain to higher education, employment law, physical fitness, or our strategic values areas.

NIRSA has joined with a subset of SAHEC members (ACUHO-I, ACPA, ASCA, NASPA, and NIRSA) in hiring Active Policy Solutions to assist with monitoring, tracking, analyzing, and determining appropriate action on issues relevant to our associations. Through our partnership with SAHEC, NIRSA continues to monitor policy, legislation, and advocacy work that affects both the higher education and physical activity space. Active Policy Solutions provides government relations and advocacy support to NIRSA and the Association’s SAHEC partners.