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 Education

• K-12 and college complaints about disability, gender discrimination, and religious bias received by OCR at record high in FY22 reports Inside Higher Ed
• College recruiter incentive compensation prohibition guidance subject of US Dept. of Education review

Federal Legislation

• College student loan deferment for terrorism victims bill (S 409) introduced
• Student loan repayment pause termination bill, “Stop Reckless Student Loan Actions Act,” (S 506) introduced

State and Local Government

• College diversity, equity, and inclusion statements restricting model legislation being circulated reports news website Reason
• College gun permitting legislation being advocated for in several states reports Times Higher Education

Arizona

• Arizona college free speech zones limiting bill passes committee

Arkansas

• Arkansas counseling compact bill passes the state house

California

• California college sex discrimination clarifying bill introduced

Colorado

• Colorado college suicide prevention information on student IDs bill passes the state house
• Colorado minor student COVID-19 vaccine prohibition without consent bill postponed indefinitely, effectively killing the bill

Connecticut

• Connecticut college student health services pilot program bill has hearing
• Connecticut college childcare assessment plan deadline extension bill introduced
• Connecticut public college freedom of expression on campus policy bill has hearing
• Connecticut Title IX toolkit creating bill hearing held
• Connecticut college student transcript withholding as a debt repayment incentive prohibition bill has hearing
• Connecticut college criminal record history check as a condition for enrollment prohibiting bill has hearing

DC

• DC telehealth expansion to include across state lines bill, “Uniform Telehealth Act,” introduced

Florida

• Florida college students protest Gov. Ron DeSantis’ gender-affirming care data provision initiative reports Insider
• Florida college free-speech/expressive annual report requiring activity shield prohibiting bills introduced

Georgia

• Georgia college transcript non-issuance due to debt prohibiting bill introduced

Hawaii

• Hawaii college inclusive disciplinary and training guidelines bill passes out of second committee
• Hawaii college free menstrual products state senate bill awaiting committee action while the state house bill has been amended and passed two committees

Idaho

• Idaho college gun restrictions prohibiting bill introduced

Illinois

• Illinois college disability accommodation and proof bill, “Respond, Innovate, Succeed, and Empower (RISE) Act,” introduced
• Illinois college “Campus Free Speech Act” introduced

Michigan

• Michigan Higher Education Sexual Assault Prevention office creation bill introduced

Mississippi

• Mississippi indecent touching included in simple assault definition bill was rejected by the reviewing committee, effectively killing the bill

Missouri

• Missouri college sexual assault policies bill, “Enough is Enough Act,” introduced

New Mexico

• New Mexico interstate medical licensure compact bill introduced

New York

• New York college adoption of anti-hazing and anti-substance policy bill introduced
• New York college campus suicide prevention information provision bill introduced
• New York college compliance with federal sexual assault reporting bill introduced
• New York college reproductive health clinic and resource information provision requirement bill introduced
• New York public college provision of abortion medication requirement bill introduced
• New York early or legacy college admission prohibition bills introduced
• New York college student transcript withholding prohibition bill introduced
• New York college hate crime reporting bill passes committee
• New York colleges’ tuition reimbursement fund and mental health counselor ratio bill introduced
• New York SUNY and CUNY college mental health requirements bill introduced

North Dakota

• North Dakota false sexual harassment allegations resulting in misdemeanor bill passes the state house and now before the state senate awaiting hearing
• North Dakota college and school discrimination prohibition and HIV education provision bill becomes subject of a hearing

Oklahoma

• Oklahoma college sexual assault procedures bill introduced
• Oklahoma interstate licensed professional counselor compact introduced
• Oklahoma higher education learning access program eligibility requirements bill introduced
• Oklahoma college firearm carry authorizing bills introduced
• Oklahoma college student free speech rights and Safe Campus Committee establishment bill introduced
• Oklahoma college viewpoint diversity policy and promotion of diversity and inclusion prohibition bill introduced
• Oklahoma college sexual harassment and hazard employee training requirements bill introduced
• Oklahoma college and school preferred pronoun use policy prohibiting bill introduced
• Oklahoma college and school sports participation by sex assigned at birth bill, “Save Men’s Sports Act,” introduced
• Oklahoma college political test as employment requirement prohibition bill introduced

Oregon

• Oregon college Hunger-Free Campus designation creating bill introduced
• Oregon college due process policy adoption bill introduced
• Oregon COVID-19 vaccination status discrimination prohibiting bill introduced

Pennsylvania

• Pennsylvania college and school student sexual harassment and assault study resolution introduced

Rhode Island

• Rhode Island college discrimination based upon vaccine status prohibiting bill introduced

South Dakota

• South Dakota COVID-19 conscience exemption option requiring bill passes out of committee

Tennessee

• Tennessee prohibition of criminal background checks for college admissions purposes bill introduced
• Tennessee college hazing policy bills introduced
• Tennessee college credit card revenue reporting bill delayed
• Tennessee Higher Education Freedom of Expression and Transparency Act bills introduced
• Tennessee college student food security commission annual reports continuing bill introduced
• Tennessee state college administrator compensation reporting bills introduced

Texas

• Texas college courses of instruction prohibited subjects bill introduced
• Texas college employees reporting undocumented individuals may not be fired for such bill introduced
• Texas college student eligibility for the supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) bills introduced
• Texas college students who are parents liaison officers designating bill introduced
• Texas college incoming students provision of mental health awareness and suicide prevention information requiring bill introduced
• Texas college and school sports participation by sex assigned at birth bill, “Save Women’s Sports Act,” introduced

Virginia

• Virginia college and school, including intramurals and club, sports participation by sex assigned at birth bill, “Save Women’s Sports Act” version (HB 1387), passes the state house and is now before the state senate, while another bill dies in committee (HB 1399)
• Virginia gun storage requirements bill passes the state senate and now before the state house

Washington

• Washington college student basic needs bills introduced
• Washington semiautomatic external defibrillators at fitness centers requiring bill introduced

West Virginia

• West Virginia college student basic needs initiative creating bill introduced
• West Virginia college gun carrying permitting bill, “Campus Self-Defense Act,” passes state senate and state house committees

Wyoming

• Wyoming school and college hazing policy adopting requiring bill awaiting full senate action after passing out of committee

Funding

• Youth domestic and sexual violence community-based prevention efforts funds available from Office on Violence Against Women
• Violence against women prevention men and boys engagement strategies funding available from OVW

Education

• College admissions based on race and ethnicity opposed by more than half of Americans reports Insider Higher Ed
• College endowments decreased in FY22 according to National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) annual report
• College decision to change building name results in lawsuit from benefactor relatives

Health & Wellness

• College students benefiting from therapy dog and connecting with senior citizens program reports Psychology Today
• College campuses linked with lower case rates of COVID-19 by county finds research in Scientific Reports
• College student lack of sleep has a negative impact on their grades according to new study

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.