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 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 Update

• Annual funding bill for the US Depts. of Labor, HHS, and Education for FY24 (S 2624) passes out of the Senate Appropriations Committee

Federal Education

• College racial disparities and health issues focus of US Secretary of Education’s comments during college visit reports The Champion
• Higher education regulatory agenda updated by the US Department of Education through semiannual regulatory agenda

Federal Legislation

• College student nutrition assistance grant program creation bill (HR 4812/S 2441) introduced
• College legacy and donor admissions preference prohibition bill, “Fair College Admissions for Students Act” (HR 4900/S 2524), introduced
• College physical injury or death incident reporting requirement bill, “College Operational Reporting of Emergencies Involving Teens and Young Adults (COREY) Safety Act” (HR 4903/S 2461), reintroduced and receive news coverage
• Pell Grant flexibility for college students with disabilities bill, “Pell Grant Flexibility Act”, (HR 4931) introduced
• College student loan interest elimination bill, “Student Loan Interest Elimination Act” (HR 4986/S 2557), introduced
• Workforce Pell Grant creating bill, “Promoting Employment and Lifelong Learning (PELL) Act” (HR 496), becomes the subject of discussion within the Higher Education and Workforce Development Subcommittee of the House Education and the Workforce Committee
• College foreign intelligence threats protection bills, “Stop Higher Education Espionage and Theft Act” (HR 1146/S 360), text available for Senate version
• College transparency bill, “Lowering Education Costs and Debt Act”, (S 1972) text available
• College institutional finances transparency creating bill, “Endowment Transparency Act” (S 2187), text available

State and Local Government

California

• California community college student housing approval bill signed into law

Maine

• Maine community college childcare services matching funds bill passes the state legislature

Ohio

• Ohio college omnibus bill with DEI provision passes the state senate

Texas

• Texas college residential housing for students in extended foster care requiring bill fails to become law
• Texas college student college costs statement providing requiring bill fails to become law
• Texas college polling places prohibiting bill fails to become law
• Texas college undocumented migrant resident student not eligible for in-state tuition bill fails to become law
• Texas college human papillomavirus plan and prevention program creating bills fail to become law
• Texas college inclusion office ban and intellectual freedom policy requirement bill fails to become law

Vermont

• Vermont colleges guaranteed living space for students requirement bill fails to become law
• Vermont college sexual assault reporting and training bill fails to become law
• Vermont college and school sports by sex assigned at birth bill fails to become law
• Vermont college sexual assault guidelines bill fails to become law

Funding

• College student education outcome improvement funding opportunity available from the US Dept. of Education

Other Updates

• Vaping by young adults regularly done by one in 10 finds new CDC report
• College students’ mental health may have an impact on their academic violations according to non-profit group reports JD Supra
• College Title IX sexual assault allegations focus of lawsuit filed against Butler University women’s soccer team trainer reports the Indy Star
• College sexual misconduct mishandling by the California State University system detailed in a pair of reports
• College professor suspended after opioid crisis-related criticism of Texas lieutenant governor reports The Texas Tribune
• College discrimination lawsuit requires college to produce students’ educational records finds state district court

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.