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

• US Dept. of Education elimination Executive Order issued by President Trump
• US Dept. of Education closure being challenged by lawsuit led by AAUP and AFT reports Higher Ed Dive
• “Illegal DEI” under Trump Administration defined by joint guidance from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the US Dept. of Justice reports The National Law Review

Federal Education

• Columbia University agrees to tighten protest rules and review curriculum after losing federal funds reports Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

State and Local Government

Arizona

• Arizona college immunization exemption allowing bill amended and passes the state house
• Arizona college encampments banning bill passes the state house and passes committee in the state senate
• Arizona DEI in hiring by the state prohibiting bill passes the state senate
• Arizona public college DEI curriculum banning bill passes the state senate and passes committee in the state house

Arkansas

• Arkansas omnibus education bill with DEI prohibitions for colleges bill signed into law
• Arkansas college engagement prohibition with prohibited foreign parties bill signed into law
• Arkansas college antisemitism prohibition and Title IV coordinator bill amended and passes the state senate

California

• University of California freezes hiring amid federal and state funding uncertainty reports Higher Ed Dive
• California college tuition and fees freeze for certain Military family members and Veterans bill passes state assembly committee

Florida

• Florida Hunger Free Campus Pilot program bill passes committee
• Florida college omni bill passes committee

Georgia

• Georgia college student denial of state funds for criminal convictions bill amended and passes committee

Illinois

• Illinois sports facilities, including college, sex-based discrimination prohibition bill passes committee
• Illinois college campus sexual misconduct climate survey and associated task force bill passes committee
• Illinois swimming facilities allowed sporting good and fitness equipment systems installation bill passes state senate committee

Iowa

• Iowa college pregnant and parenting students protections establishing bill passes the state senate and now in the state house
• Iowa college DEI course requirement prohibiting bill passes the state house and now in the state senate
• Iowa college DEI office prohibiting bill passes committee and awaiting state house vote
• Iowa community college DEI office prohibiting bill passes committee and awaiting state house vote
• Iowa state entity DEI office prohibiting bill passes committee and awaiting state house vote with filed amendments

Kentucky

• Kentucky public universities’ statewide mental health strategy released by the Kentucky Student Success Collaborative reports local news source
• Kentucky college DEI programming prohibition bill vetoed and sent back to the state legislature, where the veto is expected to be overridden

Maryland

• Maryland college student parental status and demographic reporting bill passes the state house and has hearing scheduled in the state senate
• Maryland college student counseling continuation of care across state lines bill passes the state house and has hearing scheduled in the state senate
• Maryland private college hunger-free campuses bill passes the state senate and has hearing scheduled in the state house

Minnesota

• Minnesota sports participation by sex assigned at birth discrimination statute exemption bill state house version amended and passes committee, and state senate version awaiting committee action

Mississippi

• Mississippi unauthorized camping on public property prohibition bill passes the state legislature and pending reconciliation

Nevada

• Nevada college sport participation determination by sex assigned at birth bill received a hearing and awaiting further committee action

New Jersey

• New Jersey graduate student eligibility for childcare assistance program bill passes the state house and state senate committee and is awaiting vote by full state senate

Ohio

• Ohio college DEI programming elimination and faculty collective bargaining prohibition bill passes state legislature

South Dakota

• South Dakota college allows pets in dorms for first time reports local news source

Texas

• Texas A&M drag show ban ruled unconstitutional by federal judge reports The Texas Tribune
• Texas college housing contracts with entities under payment disputes prohibiting bill hearing held
• Texas gender identity fraud criminalization bill awaiting committee action
• Texas DEI in government entities offices or hiring practices prohibiting bill passes committee
• Texas college curricula supervision authority bill has hearing scheduled

Virginia

• Virginia prohibiting persons younger than 21 years of age from possessing retail tobacco and hemp products intended for smoking bill signed into law
• Virginia prohibiting persons younger than 21 years of age from possessing retail tobacco and hemp products intended for smoking bill signed into law
• Virginia parental access to academic and healthcare records of minors establishing bill signed into law

Washington

• Washington college sexual misconduct policy requirements bill passes state senate and hearing held in state house

West Virginia

• West Virginia college immunization as admission requirement prohibition bill awaiting committee action

Wyoming

• Wyoming sex and gender-related terms defining bill, “What is a Woman Act,” became law without governors signature
• Wyoming college sport participation by sex assigned at birth requiring bill, “Fairness in sports – intercollegiate athletics,” signed into law

Funding

• Youth substance use disorder community support funding available

Other News – Health & Wellness

• College students anticipate stress and anxiety as biggest challenges in 2025 reports Campus Safety Magazine
• College first-year students’ mental health challenges increased by 40% during the pandemic according to research study by the Univ. of North Carolina
• Adolescent mental health risks rise as behavioral risks decline finds study by the American Academy of Pediatrics

Other News – Education

• Higher ed charitable giving increased 3% in 2024 according to report from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education
• Higher ed sector faces financial strain amid federal policy shifts according to Moody’s reports Diverse: Issues In Higher Education

Other News – Education – DEI

• College diversity officers discuss strategies to combat anti-DEI efforts at national conference reports The Chronicle of Higher Education
• College DEI policies dismantling tracker updated by The Chronicle of Higher Education
• University of Kentucky cuts ties with non-profit group linked to federal DEI probe reports Lexington Herald-Leader
• Florida college administrator resigns after recording of DEI law comments leaked reports Tampa Bay Times

University of Virginia’s decision to close DEI office faces strong criticism reports Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

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.