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 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 NRISA 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 Education

  • Postsecondary Education Assistant Secretary nominee named by President Biden

Federal Legislation

  • National suicide prevention lifeline improvement bill, the “988 Implementation Act” (HR 7116),
  • Low-income college student support services bill, the “College Completion Fund Act” (HR 7141), introduced.
  • College funding from foreign entities limiting bill, the “Safeguard Our Universities From Foreign Influence Act” (HR 7150),
  • HBCU infrastructure funding bill, Institutional Grants for New Infrastructure, Technology, and Education (IGNITE) HBCU Excellence Act (HR 3294) adds 2 new
  • Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC) reinstatement bill (HR 6161) adds 3 new
  • College student SNAP eligibility bill, the “College Student Hunger Act” (HR 6272), adds a new
  • College student increased federal assistance bill, the “Pell Grant Sustainability Act” (HR 6537), adds a new cosponsor.
  • School and college student with disabilities assistance bill, the “Respond, Innovate, Succeed, and Empower (RISE) Act” (S 2550), adds a new cosponsor.
  • Hair texture discrimination prohibition bill, the “CROWN Act of 2022” (HR 2116), passes the House

Federal Other

  • Overtime labor regulations discussion to be hosted by Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy on March 25

State and Local Government

Arizona

  • Arizona college applicant disability proving documentation defining bill passes the state house and passes committee in the state senate.

California

  • California state college hiring practices bill, the “Higher Education Student and Faculty Protection Act,” introduced.
  • California college mental health hotline numbers on student IDs bill

Florida

  • Florida state university presidential applicant public records and public meetings confidentiality bill signed into law.
  • Florida college omnibus bill passes the state

Georgia

  • Georgia campus free speech zone prohibition bill, “Forming Open and Robust University Minds (FORUM) Act,” passes the state house and now before the state senate.
  • Georgia unified campus police forces creating bill passes the state house and now before the state

Illinois

  • Illinois college comparison/competitiveness evaluations/disclosures bill, the “Level Playing Field Act,” introduced

Indiana

  • Indiana college “free speech” protecting bill signed into
  • Indiana firearm license requirement removing law bill passes the state legislature and sent to the governor

Louisiana

  • Louisiana college athletes NIL bills introduced

Minnesota

  • Minnesota requiring campus sexual assault policy requiring affirmative consent standards bill introduced

Missouri

  • Missouri college ID with crisis hotline numbers requiring bill has hearing.
  • Missouri school and college women’s sports participation by sex assigned at birth bill passes

New Jersey

  • New Jersey college mental health services grant creating bill, the “College Mental Health Services Act,” introduced

New York

  • New York college admissions legacy and early admissions prohibiting bills introduced

Pennsylvania

  • Pennsylvania college fee transparency bill introduced

Rhode Island

  • Rhode Island school and college sports participation by gender assigned at birth bill, the “Fairness in Women’s Sports Act,” introduced

Oklahoma

  • Oklahoma college free speech committee bill passes the state house, now before the state senate
  • Oklahoma school and college sports participation by gender assigned at birth bill, the “Fairness in Women’s Sports Act,” introduced

South Dakota

  • South Dakota college divisive concepts prohibition bill passes the state legislature and sent to the governor

Virginia

  • Virginia intercollegiate student athletes’ compensation (NIL) bill passes the state legislature
  • Virginia college hazing prevention bill passes the state legislature
  • Virginia hazing crime creating bill continued to 2022 special
  • Virginia college student diplomas and transcript withholding prohibition bill passes the state senate but dies in a state house
  • Virginia college student athlete NIL bill passes the state legislature

Washington

  • Washington college hazing defining and prohibiting bill passes the state legislature and sent to the governor

West Virginia

  • West Virginia mental health needs at colleges study bill passes the state house but failed to pass the state senate before session ended

Other Updates

  • College mental health scholarships are on the rise according to Inside Higher Ed
  • College campus sports betting apps prevalence raises concerns about gambling addiction according to Bloomberg article
  • Transgender collegiate swimmer Lia Thomas wins NCAA championship
  • California college Title IX sexual harassment allegations focus of faculty petition for legislative investigation
  • College student sexual harassment case leads former Auburn University dean to quit faculty job according to local news source
  • Gender discrimination case decision benefits for college working mothers subject of Inside Higher Ed article

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.

Executive Assistant at  | NIRSA Profile

Elishea Borin is currently the Senior Executive Assistant at NIRSA.