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

  • New Title IX Rule rejected by lawmakers in some Republican-led states and has multiple lawsuits filed against it reports NBC News
  • College federal student aid official resigns amid FAFSA fallout reports Inside Higher Ed

Federal Health

  • Pregnancy accommodation Rule by the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission subject of lawsuit filed by 17 states reports Higher Ed Dive
  • New national suicide prevention strategy announced by US Dept. of Health and Human Services

Federal Legislation

  • College accrediting agency standards anti-discrimination requirements bill, “Accreditation for College Excellence Act” (HR 3724), passes the House Education and the Workforce Committee and a full House vote is expected
  • College free speech adoption policy as a condition for receiving federal funding bill, “Respecting the First Amendment on Campus Act” (HR 7683), passes committee of referral

Federal Comment

  • Campus safety best practices clearinghouse at the US Department of Education open to comments
  • College student success award program creating suggestions sought by the US Dept. of Education

Other Federal News

  • Workplace harassment prevention guidance issued by the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

State and Local Government

California

  • California State University affordable housing program establishing bill has hearing scheduled
  • California college anti-Semitism and Islamophobia provisions requiring bill passes committee, amended, and re-referred to second committee

Colorado

  • Colorado college students who are homeless financial aid program creating bill passes the state legislature and sent to governor

Florida

  • Florida colleges housing healthcare workers and support staff permitting bill signed into law

Idaho

  • Idaho gender and sex designation codifying bill signed into law
  • Idaho school and college use students’ legal names and non-conforming preferred pronouns compelling prohibiting bill signed into law
  • Idaho school and college vaccination exemptions permitting bill signed into law
  • Idaho college diversity statements as a condition of employment requiring prohibiting bill fails to pass the state legislature
  • Idaho college diversity statement requiring for admission or employment prohibiting bill signed into law 8 Idaho college DEI office or hiring prohibiting bill fails to pass the state legislature

Indiana

  • Indiana college transparency bill signed into law

Kentucky

  • Kentucky schools and other entities automatic external defibrillator (AED) medical oversight no longer needing bill signed into law
  • Kentucky sexual orientation and gender identity change prohibiting bill fails to pass the state legislature
  • Kentucky gender assigned at birth defining bill fails to pass the state legislature
  • Kentucky college admission criminal history check prohibiting bill fails to pass the state legislature
  • Kentucky college annual financial audits requiring bill fails to pass the state legislature
  • Kentucky school and college DEI programs and instruction permitting bill fails to pass the state legislature

Louisiana

  • Louisiana healthcare support animals certifying requirements setting bill passes the state house and passes committee in the state senate
  • Louisiana college and school DEI program disclosure requiring bill passes committee

Maryland

  • Maryland college admission legacy or donor preference prohibiting bill state house version signed into law
  • Maryland college employee wage increase cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) providing bill fails to pass the state legislature
  • Maryland sport field synthetic turf installation system establishing bill passes the state legislature and awaiting governor’s review
  • Maryland college parental status collecting bill fails to pass the state legislature
  • Maryland in-state college tuition residential requirements expanding bill fails to pass the state legislature
  • Maryland college extenuating circumstance policy establishing requiring bill signed into law
  • Maryland college pregnant or parenting students policy requiring bill fails to pass the state legislature
  • Maryland college online gambling prohibiting bill fails to pass the state legislature
  • Maryland anti-discrimination laws expanding bill state house version signed into law
  • Maryland public college admissions by high school graduation position bill fails to pass the state legislature
  • Maryland Public College Student Extenuating Circumstances bill fails to pass the state legislature

Minnesota

  • Minnesota higher education omnibus bill with student basic needs program provisions signed into law

Mississippi

  • Mississippi gender terms and conditions defining bill, “Mississippi Women’s Bill of Rights,” fails to pass the state legislature

Nebraska

  • Nebraska college tenure and employment regulation bill fails to become law
  • Nebraska public education institutions’ diversity training preventing bill fails to become law

New Hampshire

  • New Hampshire college students, student organizations, and faculty members due process rights bill passes the state house and has hearing in the state senate
  • New Hampshire college students and student organizations’ First Amendment rights protecting bill passes the state house and passes committee in the state senate
  • New Hampshire immunization registry data sharing by state prohibiting bill passes the state house and has hearing in the state senate
  • New Hampshire school and college sports teams and events prohibited from allowing transgender women athletes to participate in women’s sports bill, “The Protection of Women’s Sports Act,” referred for further study

New Mexico

  • New Mexico counselor compact establishing bill fails to pass the state senate

Oregon

  • Oregon school and college athletic participation and facilities designated by sex assigned at birth requiring bill fails to pass the state legislature
  • Oregon college student benefits needs program initiative establishing bill fails to pass the state legislature
  • Oregon college sexual misconduct support and report requiring bill signed into law

Tennessee

  • Tennessee college student food security commission annual reports continuing bill state senate version passes the state legislature and sent to the governor

Utah

  • Utah college crime statistics requiring legislation bill signed into law

Virginia

  • Virginia legacy and donor college admission preferences prohibiting bill signed into law
  • Virginia Social Work Licensure Compact establishing bill signed into law
  • Virginia college accommodations for students with disabilities evaluating bill signed into law
  • Virginia college food insecurity assessing bill signed into law
  • Virginia college hazing report procedure requiring bill signed into law

Washington

  • Washington external defibrillators in fitness centers requiring bill signed into law

Wisconsin

  • Wisconsin college student meal plan coverage bill signed into law
  • Wisconsin college immunization wavier requiring bill vetoed by governor
  • Wisconsin college firearm criminal offense establishing bill fails to pass the state assembly
  • Wisconsin college athletic teams designated by sex assigned at birth bill fails to pass the state senate

Education

  • College campus protests over Israel-Hamas war continue across US; interactive map of colleges affected by protests published by USA Today
  • College students with disabilities resource shutdown focus of webinar to be held by the Association on Higher Education And Disability (AHEAD)
  • College students’ reasons for dropping out include anxiety and personal issues reports Inside Higher Ed

Health & Wellness

  • College student mental health services comprehensive approach analysis report published by The Jed Foundation
  • College tuberculosis testing protocol guidelines published by American College Health Association (ACHA)

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.