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 Stimulus/Appropriations

• House Republicans vote to accept Democratic plans to use earmarks
• Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) guidelines released by Small Business Administration (SBA)

Federal Education

• College student and institutional support through HEERF grant and expanded SNAP benefits announced by US Department of Education (DoE)
• College borrower defense relief process to be streamlined by US Department of Education
• Colleges get flexibility to use federal relief funds from US Department of Education (DoE)
• College funding by state stabilized by federal dollars, article reports
• Biden Administration position on transgender athletes topic of article

Federal Legislation

• Dreamer’s citizenship pathway bill, Dreaming and Promise Act (HR 6) passes House
• College reform bills (HR 1521 & S 518) introduced
• Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2021 (HR 1620) passes the House
• Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Extension Act of 2021 (HR 1799) passes the House
• College federal student loans refinancing and recalculating bill (HR 1918) reintroduced
• College student expanded access to food assistance bill (HR 1919) introduced
• College hazing reporting bills (HR 1932 & S 775 and HR 1933) introduced
• Elimination of the Department of Education bill (HR 2106) introduced
• College Transparency Act (S 800) reintroduced
• Personal Health Investment (PHIT) Act (S 844) reintroduced

State and Local Government News

• Sports participation by birth sex federal and state legislative efforts explored in article

Alabama

• Alabama prohibiting public institutions of higher education from providing support for organizations affiliated with China government bills introduced
• Alabama public K-12 athletic competition by birth gender bill passes state house and sent to state senate 7 Alabama college in-state tuition rates for military family members bills signed into law

Alaska

• Alaska free/reduced tuition for essential workers bill introduced

Arizona

• Arizona in-state college tuition for persons without lawful immigration status bill under consideration

Arkansas

• Arkansas college homeless and foster student liaison bill signed into law
• Arkansas possession or storage of an employee’s firearm in the employer’s parking lot bill introduced
• Arkansas school sports participation birth sex constitutional amendment bill introduced
• Arkansas “Free Thought in Higher Education Act” bill still under consideration in state senate
• Arkansas school and college sports participation by birth gender bill, “Fairness in Women’s Sports Act,” passes state senate and passes committee in state house
• Arkansas “Higher Education Consumer Guide Act” bill passes state senate and introduced in the state house

California

• California “Campus-Affiliated Sorority and Fraternity Transparency Act” bill introduced
• California college admissions protocols bill introduced
• California “Public Preschool, K–12, and College Health and Safety Bond Act of 2022” bill passes committee

Connecticut

• Connecticut college sexual misconduct reporting protections bill still under consideration

Florida

• Florida college intellectual freedom bill still under consideration

Georgia

• Georgia college tuition for homeless and foster youth bill favorably reported
• Georgia college in-state tuition for undocumented immigrants bill still under consideration

Iowa

• Iowa college tenure prohibiting bill still under consideration

Maryland

• Maryland college athlete omnibus still under consideration
• Maryland “Hunger-Free Campus Grant Program” bill recommended passage by senate committee

Michigan

• Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSSA) says new sex at birth sports participation bill is unnecessary

Mississippi

• Mississippi student athlete compensation bill dies on calendar
• Mississippi sex by birth sports participation bill signed into law

Missouri

• Missouri school sports participation by sex at birth constitution amendment bill still under consideration

New Hampshire

• New Hampshire COVID-19 relief bill delayed
• New Hampshire college sexual misconduct bill dies in state senate

New Jersey

• New Jersey school and college sports participation by birth sex bill, “Fairness in Women’s Sports Act,” introduced

New Mexico

• New Mexico college hazing crime bill still under consideration
• New Mexico school and college sexual misconduct procedures and task force creating bill passes state house, referred to the state senate
• New Mexico student athlete endorsement compensation bill still under consideration

New York

• New York student hunger free campus bill introduced

North Carolina

• North Carolina school and college access during COVID-19 allowing bill passes state house, referred to state senate
• North Carolina concealed carry bill passes senate, introduced in house

Ohio

• Ohio sports official assault penalties increasing bill introduced
• Ohio school and college sports participation by birth sex bill, the Save Women’s Sports Act, introduced
• Ohio hazing penalties increasing bill introduced

South Carolina

• South Carolina gender by birth school sports participation bill still under consideration

Tennessee

• Tennessee school sports participation based on sex at birth bill still under consideration
• Tennessee college free speech bills still under consideration

Virginia

• Virginia sports official assault crime bill still under consideration

Other News

• College COVID-19 updates
• College presidents confident about financial future, article reports
• Activities and other COVID-19 updates
• NCAA acknowledges gender discrepancy in athletic equipment at March Madness tournaments
• College athletes to use March stage to pressure NCAA, article reports
• Mental and physical health needs new high school “equitable access” fitness center in New Jersey opens

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.