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 Education

• College student financial aid application program delay could negatively impact students and colleges reports Higher Ed Dive
• College student mental health federal lawsuit against Yale reaches settlement reports NBC News

Federal Health

• “Epidemic of loneliness and isolation” addressed by US Surgeon General
• Adolescent vaccination coverage trends analysis released by the CDC

State and Local Government

California

• California State University system sexual harassment complaints report requirement bill passes the state legislature

Florida

• Florida college gender-restrictive restroom use law violators who are state college employees must be fired according to State Board of Education reports Higher Ed Dive

Idaho

• Idaho transgender sports law upheld in federal appeals court reports the Associated Press

Michigan

• Michigan legacy college admission prohibition constitutional amendment joint resolution introduced

Mississippi

• Mississippi public colleges accessibility compliance study to be conducted by new task force reports local news

New York

• New York college website information accuracy vetting requirement bill introduced

Tennessee

• Tennessee stalking convict global positioning monitoring system wearing and payment requirement bills awaiting committee action

Funding

• Sexual assault victim support funding awarded by US Department of Justice
• Mental health services support and training funding awarded by SAMHSA

Education

• College students impacted by affordable housing shortage reports Axios
• College dorm rooms at Florida college deemed unsafe due to air quality concerns, students moved to hotels, reports local news

Health & Wellness

• College student COVID-19 vaccination requirements still in effect at some colleges reports Inside Higher Ed
• Mask mandates by some employers reemerge as COVID-19 cases begin to rise again reports The Hill
• Depression rates in US have reached a new high finds Gallup poll
• Young adults’ lifestyle factors and cardiometabolic diseases subject of 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.