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 Administration

• Trump Administration terms being used to target programs for investigation for elimination according to The New York Times
• New anti-DEI Executive Order targeting law firms issued by the Trump Administration

Federal Education

• US Dept. of Education lays off nearly 50 percent of its staff reports Inside Higher Ed
• US Department of Education Office for Civil Rights (OCR) downsized reports ProPublica
• College antisemitism investigations, measures, and federal contract cancellations announced by the US Dept. of Education
• College study-abroad funding pause by US State Dept. impacting student travelers reports The New York Times
• House Education and Workforce Committee Chair’s new agenda subject of article from Education Week
• College international student visa revocation using AI planned by US State Dept. reports Axios
• Many universities pause hiring due to federal funding uncertainties reports NPR
• Universities with research grants focusing on LGBTQ+ issues, gender identity, and DEI receive termination letters from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) reports ABC News
• Higher education experts’ reactions to US Dept. of Education’s anti-DEI ‘Dear Colleague’ letter on race- based policies focus of article by Inside Higher Ed
• Title IX complaints filed against two universities regarding a transgender student-athlete and the disruption of a scheduled event reports Newsbreak
• Arrest of Palestinian college student activist who helped lead Columbia University protests is first of “many to come” according to President Trump reports CBS News
• College federal funding cut for “illegal protests” threat from President Trump on social media decried by FIRE reports Insights Into Diversity
• Higher education opinions by Republican voters subject of article from Inside Higher Ed

Federal Legislation

• Undocumented immigrant path to citizenship bill, “American Dream and Promise Act” (HR 1589), reintroduced
• College nonprofit separate status creating with the US Tax Code bill (HR 1852) introduced

Other Federal News

• Overtime Rule vacating surprisingly being appealed by the US Dept. of Labor reports Higher Ed Dive

State and Local Government

Arizona

• Arizona college immunization exemption allowing bill amended and passes the state house and sent to the state senate
• Arizona college encampments banning bill passes the state house and awaiting action in the state senate
• Arizona public college DEI curriculum banning bill passes the state senate and sent to the state house

Arkansas

• Arkansas omnibus education bill with DEI prohibitions for colleges bill amended and awaiting committee action
• Arkansas college engagement prohibition with prohibited foreign parties bill amended and passes the state senate, now awaiting action in the state house

California

• California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) says transgender athlete participation in girls’ and women’s sports about competitive fairness on podcast reports The Hill
• California college and school activity participation by sex assigned at birth requiring bill introduced

Connecticut

• Connecticut college student off-campus living authorization bill has hearing

Florida

• Florida college free speech requiring bill awaiting committee action
• Florida DEI banning bill awaiting committee action
• Florida public college undocumented student admission banning bill awaiting committee action
• Florida firearm purchase age limit removal bill awaiting committee action
• Florida concealed carry on college campus allowing bill awaiting committee action
• Florida college omni bill passes out of subcommittee and awaiting further committee action

Hawaii

• Hawaii college homeless student programs creating bill awaiting committee action

Illinois

• Illinois college concealed carry allowing bill awaiting committee action
• Illinois college attending meeting SNAP work requirements bill awaiting committee action
• Illinois college baby changing station rules applying to bill has hearing

Indiana

• Indiana constitutional carry gun procession allowing, including in schools and colleges, bill awaiting committee action

Iowa

• Iowa college DEI promotion prohibition and civil action authorization bill passes subcommittee and awaiting action in committee
• Iowa gender identity civil rights protection removal bill state senate version signed into law and state house version withdrawn from consideration

Ohio

• Ohio colleges’ adjustments to gender assigned at birth new privacy law focus of article by AP News
• Ohio public college anti-DEI bill awaiting committee action

Oklahoma

• Oklahoma college DEI banning bill awaiting vote by full state senate

Oregon

• Oregon college basic needs grant and student housing task force establishing bill has hearing

South Carolina

• South Carolina college anti-DEI bill awaiting committee action

South Dakota

• South Dakota colleges’ concealed weapon and self-defense items restrictions prohibiting bill passes the state legislature

Tennessee

• Tennessee college free speech supporting resolution passes the state house

Texas

• Texas DEI in government entities offices or hiring practices prohibiting bill has hearing

Utah

• Utah gender-specific language policy prohibition bill fails to pass the state legislature before the end of session
• Utah college rights for religious, political, or ideological student organizations establishing bill passes the state legislature
• Utah college data privacy policies bill passes the state legislature and sent to the governor

Washington

• Washington public college students required to live on campus or in college residence halls prohibiting bill introduced in the state house
• Washington college sexual misconduct policy requirements bill passes the state senate

West Virginia

• West Virginia state government DEI efforts and racial superiority K-12 instruction prohibiting bill, “Equal Treatment by Executive Branch Act of 2025” and “Equal Treatment in Primary and Secondary Education Act of 2025,” introduced
• West Virginia gender-related language in state laws, prohibiting sex discrimination, allowing separate single-sex environments, and gender-related public school data collection establishing bill, “West Virginia Women’s Bill of Rights Act” or “The West Virginia Act to Define Sex-Based Terms Used in State Law, Help Protect Single Sex Spaces, and Ensure the Accuracy of Public Data Collection,” introduced
• West Virginia minor child’s exposure to sexually explicit materials or a member of the opposite sex’s nudity prohibiting bill, “Parents’ Bill of Rights,” introduced in the state house
• West Virginia carrying of a deadly weapon age from 21 to 18 bill, “West Virginia Carry Act of 2025,” introduced in the state house and state senate
• West Virginia public college DEI efforts prohibiting bill introduced in the state house
• West Virginia college student food insecurity grant and hunger-free campus designation requirements establishing bill, “Hunger-Free Campus Act,” introduced

Wyoming

• Wyoming women’s privacy protection in public and educational facilities bill signed into law
• Wyoming college sport participation by sex assigned at birth requiring bill, “Fairness in sports – intercollegiate athletics,” passes the state legislature
• Wyoming K-12 public school restroom access defined by sex at birth bill signed into law
• Wyoming DEI and Critical Race Theory prohibited at the University of Wyoming and Wyoming community colleges establishing bill vetoed

Other News – Education

• College campus polarization and civil discourse the focus of college leadership and higher education experts’ discussions reports Higher Ed Dive
• College sustainability commitment pilot program announced by the Carnegie Foundation and the ACE
• College student free speech lawsuit settled by University of Tennessee reports Inside Higher Ed

Other News – Education

• College students sue Texas A&M over ban on drag performances reports The Hill
• College students’ basic needs federal priorities published by the Hope Center at Temple University
• New college transfer student research released by the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center reports Higher Ed Dive

Other News – Education – DEI

• Rowan University makes DEI-related changes in response to Trump Administration’s policies reports The Philadelphia Inquirer
• Ohio University postpones Black alumni reunion amid anti-DEI efforts by the Trump Administration reports The Columbus Dispatch
• Some Texas public universities implemented DEI policies despite state ban reports The Center Square
• University of Texas DEI program disbanding challenges subject of The Christian Science Monitor article
• University of Virginia dissolves its DEI office, receives support from Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) reports local news source

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.