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

• New version of college student federal financial aid form ‘soft launched’ by US Dept. of Education and users report issues according to CNBC
• College with ideological oath federal funding prohibiting bill (HR 6848) introduced
• College hate crime record tracking requirement bill (HR 6883) introduced

State and Local Government

New Jersey

• New Jersey Interstate Counseling Compact bill passes committee but failed to pass the legislature before adjournment 2
• New Jersey college-focused anti-vaping bill introduced but then did not pass the legislature before adjournment

Ohio

• Ohio school and college sports participation by sex assigned at birth and gender-affirming care for minors prohibiting bill vetoed and awaits potential override by the state legislature

Texas

• Texas college students struggle to identify abuse and domestic violence claim field experts

Wisconsin

• University of Wisconsin system employees awarded raises after agreeing to stop DEI efforts reports Wisconsin Examiner
• Wisconsin telehealth services by out-of-state mental health care providers bill passes the state assembly and passes committee in the state senate
• Wisconsin public college nonresident tuition exemption bill introduced

Education

• Higher education trends for 2024 according to Inside Higher Ed
• Colleges facing rise in student gambling addiction as sports betting spreads reports The 74
• College mental health inclusive care strategies subject of article from Inside Higher Ed
• Youth suicide increase linked to opioid crisis finds new study
• Female college student mental health and COVID-19 pandemic impact study published

Civil Rights

• College anti-Semitism and Islamophobia prevention protocols being called for
• College Title IX lawsuit filed by former athlete against Niagara University reports local news source
• College DEI program elimination by the University of Oklahoma challenged by the ACLU reports Higher Ed Dive

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.