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 loan servicer payments withheld by the Biden Administration
  • New higher education accreditation and state authorization policy proposals announced by US Dept. of Education
  • Gainful employment Rule subject of lawsuit against US Dept. of Education by trade organization reports Higher Ed Dive

Federal Legislation

  • College pregnancy student information and resource provision bill, “Pregnant Students’ Rights Act” (HR 6914), introduced and passed out of committee

State and Local Government

California

  • California colleges urged by faculty and staff to make backup plans in case DACA ends reports EdSource

Florida

  • Florida school and college political flag displaying prohibition bills introduced
  • Florida public K-12 school and college sexual harassment prevention information provision bill introduced
  • Florida college Single-Sex Student Organizations’ Bill of Rights bill introduced
  • Florida college campus bed provision for emergency health care workers bill introduced
  • Florida school and college political influence teaching prohibition and college faculty collective bargaining bill introduced

Indiana

  • Indiana college website information requirements bill introduced

Missouri

  • Missouri K-12 school, college, and employer COVID-19 vaccination mandate prohibition bill introduced
  • Missouri hazing good Samaritan clause penalty modification bill introduced
  • Missouri race and hairstyle discrimination prohibition bill introduced
  • Missouri sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination prohibition bill introduced
  • Missouri college transfer protocol requirements modification bill introduced
  • Missouri college free speech policy bill introduced
  • Missouri school and college sports participation by sex assigned at birth bill introduced

New Hampshire

  • New Hampshire college students, student organizations, and faculty members due process rights bill introduced
  • New Hampshire college students and student organizations 1st Amendment rights protecting bill introduced
  • New Hampshire non-profit colleges certain statistics disclosure on college website requiring bill introduced
  • New Hampshire college student organization hazing and reporting bill introduced
  • New Hampshire immunization registry data sharing by state prohibiting bill introduced
  • New Hampshire college state funding limiting if they discriminate bill introduced
  • New Hampshire school and college sports teams and events prohibited from allowing trans women athletes to participate in women’s sports bill, “The Protection of Women’s Sports Act,” introduced
  • New Hampshire sex discrimination exemptions for certain gender-specific provisions pertaining to sex assigned at birth bill introduced

New Jersey

  • New Jersey school and college vaping awareness campaigns guideline development bills fails to pass before the end of the legislative session
  • New Jersey college environmental sustainability plan adoption bill fails to pass before the end of the legislative session
  • New Jersey college gambling addiction program establishment requiring bill fails to pass before the end of the legislative session
  • New Jersey college prospective employee sexual conduct history review requiring bill fails to pass before the end of the legislative session

New York

  • New York college admissions not allowed to discriminate against individuals convicted of one or more crimes bill introduced
  • New York public college menstrual products providing requirement bill introduced
  • New York college student child-care services appropriation bill introduced
  • New York college free or reduced price meal plan bill introduced

Texas

  • Texas college diversity, equity, and inclusion programming prohibition law gets press coverage

Virginia

  • Virginia college legacy admission prohibition bill introduced

Washington

  • Washington fitness center automated external defibrillator (AED) requirement bill introduced

Wisconsin

  • Wisconsin public college nonresident tuition exemption bill introduced

Education

  • Higher education trends to watch in 2024 according to Higher Ed Dive

Health and Wellness

  • College sports betting becomes more prevalent practice among college-aged males reports Business Insider
  • Male college students less likely to seek therapy according to ACHA survey
  • College young adult students, including those who are parents, and burnout risk subject of new study

Civil Rights

  • College COVID-19 online learning breach of contract lawsuit settled by George Washington University reports Inside Higher Ed

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.