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 athletics impacts from sexual harassment and violence report released by the US Government Accountability Office (GAO)
• College students with disabilities with sickle cell disease, epilepsy, and cancer discrimination protection resources released by US Dept. of Education
• College student federal financial aid going to students in college programs with negative ROI highlighted by study
• New Title IX Rule partial blockage implications for colleges subject of article from the Chronicle of Higher Education

Federal Legislation

• Pell Grant program expansion bill, “Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act” (HR 8807/S 4595), introduced
• Suicide prevention youth and young adult safety grants bill, “Child Suicide Prevention and Lethal Means Safety Act” (HR 7265/S 3779), receives press coverage

State and Local Government

California

• California State University affordable housing program establishing bill passes the state assembly and passes committee in the state senate
• California college anti-Semitism and Islamophobia provisions requiring bill passes the state assembly and passes committee in the state senate
• California college harassment, intimidation, and discrimination prohibiting bill, “Equity in Higher Education Act,” passes the state senate and passes committee in the state assembly
• California college LGBTQ+ students inclusion and support requiring bill, “Equity in Higher Education Act,” passes the state senate and passes committee in the state assembly

Connecticut

• Connecticut DEI in state departments requiring bill reported favorably by state senate committee and awaiting further action

Delaware

• Delaware college firearm possession banning bill passes the state house and now in the state senate

Louisiana

• Louisiana healthcare support animals certifying requirements setting bill signed into law
• Louisiana college and school DEI program disclosure requiring bill signed into law
• Louisiana college student First Amendment protections defining bill signed into law
• Louisiana governor authority expanding bill with ability to appoint head of state’s university system provision signed into law

New Jersey

• New Jersey Supreme Court affirms rights for emotional support animals despite housing rules reports JD Supra

North Carolina

• North Carolina repealed mask exemption and increased criminal penalties establishing bill, “Unmaking Mobs and Criminals Act,” vetoed

Texas

• Texas college scholarships at-risk due to DEI prohibiting legislation reports The Dallas Morning News

Other Updates

• Collegiate substance abuse recovery programs subject of op-ed article in EdSource

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.