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

• Connecticut’s transgender-inclusive school sports policy continues to be challenged by group of cisgender female athletes in federal court reports CNN
• Three universities that research disinformation requested by Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) to provide details reports ProPublica
• New health code for aquatic centers released by CDC
• College pricing transparency bill (HR 1214) introduced
• Federal Student Aid potential regulation changes open for public comments by the Office of Postsecondary Education

State and Local Government

Alaska

• Alaska college staff health insurance policy allowing bill referred to committee

California

• California college requirement to distribute fentanyl strips bill passes committee
• California discrimination based on caste prohibition bill awaiting further committee action
• California community college disciplinary hearing protocol bill amended and scheduled for a hearing

Colorado

• Colorado college student youth mentors stipend pilot program bill passes the state senate and now in the state house

Connecticut

• Connecticut college affordability and student health bill passes committee

Florida

• Florida Supreme Court to allow service and emotional support animals inside courtrooms
• Florida ban on diversity, equity, and inclusion statements in hiring and tenure on college campuses bills pass out of committee in respective chambers
• Florida college critical race theory (CRT) ban bill passes committee

Hawaii

• Hawaii inclusive disciplinary and training guidelines bill passes the state house and passes committee in the state senate
• Hawaii college restrooms menstrual products providing resolution passes committee

Illinois

• Illinois hunger-free college campus grant bill passes the state house and introduced in the state senate
• Illinois out-of-state college student telehealth bill passes the state house
• Illinois firearm purchasing age limit lowering bill referred to committee
• Illinois college transcript denying if owed debt prohibiting bill amended, passes the state senate, and referred to a committee in the state house

Iowa

• Iowa pregnant college student limiting participation and housing prohibition bill passes the state senate and introduced in the state house
• Iowa bathroom use designated by “biological” sex bill signed into law

Kansas

• Kansas cigarette and tobacco products minimum age increasing bill passes the state house and passes committee in the state senate

Kentucky

• Kentucky college guns regulating prohibiting bill introduced
• Kentucky telehealth providers not required to have in-state physical location bill passes the state house and introduced in the state senate

Maryland

• Maryland college mental health advisory committee creation bill passes the state house and college in the state senate
• Maryland college contracting with gambling entities prohibiting bill passes the state senate and hearing scheduled in the state house

Massachusetts

• Massachusetts college building free menstrual products available bill referred to committee
• Massachusetts free public college bills introduced and referred to committee
• Massachusetts legacy college entrance prohibition bills introduced and referred to committee
• Massachusetts public college student record protection bills introduced and referred to committee
• Massachusetts public college aptitude test for admission prohibiting bills introduced and referred to committee
• Massachusetts public college tuition freeze bill referred to committee
• Massachusetts college student fire safety course requirement bills referred to committee
• Massachusetts community college grants for student services bill referred to committee

Michigan

• Michigan public college concealed carry resolution referred to committee

Missouri

• Missouri college discriminatory ideology ban bill passes committee
• Missouri school sports participation by sex assigned at birth bill, “Save Women’s Sports Act,” passes the state senate and now in the state house

New Hampshire

• New Hampshire college freedom of speech and association bill has been suspended from consideration

New York

• New York public college provision of abortion medication requirement bill passes committee and pending vote by the state assembly

Oklahoma

• Oklahoma interstate licensed professional counselor compact bill passes the state house and now in the state senate
• Oklahoma college sexual harassment and hazard employee training requirements bill passes the state senate and now in the state house

Oregon

• Oregon college education study bill has hearing

Pennsylvania

• Pennsylvania public college bias response team ban bill referred to committee
• Pennsylvania college sexual assault study bill referred to committee

Tennessee

• Tennessee college criminal background checks for admissions prohibiting bill passes committee
• Tennessee college concealed carry of firearms bill fails to pass the legislature
• Tennessee public college divisive concept ban bills in committee
• Tennessee state college administrator compensation reporting bill state house version fails in committee while the state senate version still awaits committee action

Texas

• Texas college human papillomavirus (HPV) plan and prevention program creating bill has hearing
• Texas public college foreign student and undocumented student ban bill referred to committee
• Texas public college diversity training for enrollment ban bills referred to committees
• Texas public college tenure ban bill referred to committee
• Texas college sexual behavior survey ban bill has hearing
• Texas public college class syllabi posting requirement bill referred to committee

Utah

• Utah vaccine passport prohibition bill signed into law
• Utah college diversity, equity, and inclusion study bill fails to become law

Vermont

• Vermont interstate mental health provider compact bill passes the state house and now in the state senate

Virginia

• Virginia college housing no cost for students enrolled in foster care bill signed into law

Washington

• Washington Counselor Compact Authorization bill passes the state house and passes committee in the state senate
• Washington college student basic needs bill passes the state house and passes committee in the state senate
• Washington telehealth provision from out-of-state healthcare providers bill passes the state senate and passes committee in the state house
• Washington semiautomatic external defibrillators at fitness centers requiring bill passes the state senate and has hearing scheduled in the state house

Wyoming

• Wyoming abortion pill ban signed by the governor

Funding

• College education affordability grant program application now available

Other Updates

• Young Americans’ changing dating habits show poll results reported by The Hill
• College student mental health struggles leading to dropping out considerations according to new survey16 College student-athlete suicide prevention approaches reevaluated by some colleges reports San Francisco Chronicle
• College students prioritize mental health services when choosing insurance plans finds new survey
• College student racial and ethnic disparities in weight loss behaviors focus of study
• Transgender females barred from competing in female international track & field events by governing body

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.