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 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 Government News

• State of activity in Congress update

Federal Education

• Biden’s college student loan debt relief plan legality to be decided by US Supreme Court
• Online college outsourcing needs to be closely examined by Biden Administration reports POLITICO
• Interagency Task Force on Sexual Violence in Education publishes first report

Federal Health

• Mental health support for adolescents transitioning into higher education becomes subject of hearing hosted by Senate HELP Subcommittee on Children and Families
• Edward Markey (D-MA) sends letter to US Departments of Education and Justice regarding college mental health policies around involuntary medical leave of absence (IMLOA) guidance and Section 405 reforms

Federal Legislation

• Title IX sexual harassment reform legislation, “Students’ Access to Freedom & Educational Rights (SAFER) Act” (HR 9387/S 5158) introduced
• Sexual assault or harassment non-disclosure agreement enforcement prohibition bill, “Speak Out Act”

State and Local Government

Missouri

• Missouri school sports participation by sex assigned as birth bills, “Save Women’s Sports Act” prefiled
• Missouri school and college sports participation by sex assigned as birth bills, “Save Women’s Sports Act” prefiled
• Missouri hazing reporter amnesty granting bill prefiled
• Missouri school or recreational athletic official harassment punishment bill prefiled
• Missouri sports officials inclusion within definition of special victim bills prefiled

New Jersey

• New Jersey college school summer tuition aid grant bill introduced

New York

• New York state college mental health services enhancements focus of proposed legislation reports Western New York News

Ohio

• Ohio sports official protection bill passes the state house and is now before the state senate

Funding

• New Jersey college student mental health service funding allocated by state government

Education

• College completion rates stall at 62.3% reports Higher Ed Dive

Activities

• High school girls’ flag football fastest-growing high school sport in Georgia according to local news source

Civil Rights

• College shutdown during Covid-19 lawsuit against University of Florida dismissed reports Law.com
• College mental health discrimination lawsuit filed against Yale University reports ABC News
• Transgender athletes in New Zealand don’t need to prove gender identity to compete in sports according to Sports New Zealand

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.