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 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 Education

  • US Dept. of Education funding under federal debt ceiling deal agreement subject of K-12 Dive article
  • College student transcript access focus of pending action from US Dept. of Education reports Inside Higher Ed
  • College website accessibility topic of “Dear Colleague” letter from US Dept. of Justice and US Dept. of Education’s Office for Civil Rights

Federal Legislation

  • Opioid and fentanyl addiction and overdose prevention programming bills, “STOP Fentanyl Overdoses Act” (HR 3375/S 1785), introduced
  • College foreign funding for Confucius Institutes prohibiting bill (HR 3757) introduced
  • College anti-Semitic event promotion resulting in federal funding rescindment bill, “Stop Anti-Semitism on College Campuses Act” (HR 3773), introduced

Other Federal News

  • Gender-based violence prevention focus of new initiatives from US Dept. of Justice

State and Local Government

Alabama

  • Alabama college sport participation by sex assigned at birth bill signed into law

Connecticut

  • Connecticut college student transcript withholding as a debt repayment incentive prohibition bill passes the state legislature

Florida

  • Florida transgender college students prevented from accessing gender-affirming healthcare and using restrooms corresponding with their gender reports University of Florida student newspaper
  • Florida transgender adults’ access to gender-affirming healthcare heavily restricted under new law reports AP News
  • Florida professional counselors licensure compact fee bill vetoed

Louisiana

  • Louisiana public college gambling promotion and partnerships prohibition bill passes the state legislature and sent to the governor

Maine

  • Maine COVID-19 prohibition mandate for five years bill fails to pass the state legislature

Massachusetts

  • Massachusetts college and school student fire safety course requirement bill has hearing scheduled

Nevada

  • Nevada college in-state tuition for DACA recipients bill passes the state legislature

New York

  • New York college reproductive health information providing to student requiring bills awaiting committee action
  • New York college student child-care services appropriation bills awaiting committee action
  • New York college free or reduced-price meal plan bills awaiting committee action
  • New York school and college blood donation drive grant bill awaiting committee action
  • New York public college student food insecurity grant bill passes the state senate and now in the state assembly
  • New York omnibus interstate mental health professional licensing compact bill awaiting committee action
  • New York public university emergency contraception education bill awaiting committee action

Pennsylvania

  • Pennsylvania college student experiencing homelessness accommodation program bill awaiting committee action
  • Pennsylvania COVID-19 vaccination mandate prohibiting bill awaiting committee action

Tennessee

  • Tennessee college and school concealed carry of firearms bills fail to pass the state legislature

Texas

  • Texas diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI) training, commitment to, or a statement attesting to requiring for government employment prohibiting bill fails to pass the state legislature
  • Texas college diversity statement as a condition for admission or employment prohibiting bill fails to pass the state legislature
  • Texas college student DEI belief requirement prohibiting bill passes the state legislature
  • Texas college hiring DEI statement prohibiting bill passes the state legislature and sent to the governor
  • Texas college DEI office prohibition bill fails to pass the state legislature
  • Texas college handguns regulation by college permitting bills fail to pass the state legislature
  • Texas telemedicine health care coverage bill fails to pass the state legislature
  • Texas college student with disability benefit expansion bill fails to pass the state legislature
  • Texas college affirmative action admission prohibiting bill fails to pass the state legislature
  • Texas public college tenure ban bill passes the state legislature and sent to the governor
  • Texas college hazing law clarification bill sent to the governor
  • Texas COVID-19 vaccine mandate prevention bill fails to pass the state legislature
  • Texas college and school sports participation by sex assigned at birth bill, “Save Women’s Sports Act,” fails to pass the state legislature
  • Texas college and school COVID-19 vaccine mandate ban bill fails to pass the state legislature

Vermont

  • Vermont interstate mental health provider compact bill signed into law
  • Vermont anti-hazing policies update bill awaiting committee action

Other Updates

  • College education violence recovery funds awarded to four HBCU schools by US Dept. of Education
  • College suicide prevention efforts funded by SAMHSA
  • College childcare grant program applications sought by the US Dept. of Education

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.

  • For more information, please contact NIRSA Director of Advocacy & Strategic Partnerships Erin O’Sullivan.
Headshot of Erin O'Sullivan
Director of Advocacy & Strategic Partnerships at  | NIRSA Profile

Erin O'Sullivan is currently the Director of Advocacy & Strategic Partnerships at NIRSA.