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 Budget

• Taxation modification bill recommendations announced by the House Ways and Means Committee
• House Energy and Commerce Committee unveils its portion of the reconciliation package
• Higher education loan repayment protocols and policy changes included in the House Education and Workforce reconciliation package receive additional press coverage

Federal Administration

• Overtime final Rule decision tied up in the courts reports Higher Ed Dive

Federal Education

• Title IX being used ‘aggressively’ by the Trump Administration to further its agenda reports Inside Higher Ed
• Higher education financial aid (Title IV) Negotiated Rulemaking for 2025-2026 announced by the US Dept. of Education
• Federal oversight terms for Columbia University proposed by the Trump Administration reports The Wall Street Journal
• Harvard University’s future grant funding has been cut according to a letter from Education Secretary Linda McMahon reports Inside Higher Ed
• College responses to campus protests focus of Congressional anti-semitism hearing reports Higher Ed Dive
• Federal TRIO program proposed cuts’ potential impacts subject of article from Inside Higher Ed
• US Dept. of Education’s Office for Civil Rights’ practices challenged in lawsuit from parents and students reports K-12 Dive
• College student faces deportation after being pulled over by mistake during a traffic stop in Georgia reports NBC News

Federal Legislation

• College Confucius Institute relationship prohibition bill, “DHS Restrictions on Confucius Institutes and Chinese Entities of Concern Act” (HR 881), passes the House
• Veteran educational college counseling service provision by VA counselor requirement removal bill, “Modernizing the Veterans On-Campus Experience Act” (HR 980), receives mark-up in the House Veterans Affairs Committee
• College accreditation political litmus test prohibiting bill, “Accreditation for College Excellence Act” (HR 2516), text becomes available
• College student career path earning and debt transparency bill, “Preventing Risky Operations from Threatening the Education and Career Trajectories of Students Act” (HR 2899/S 944), House version text becomes available
• College COVID-19 vaccination mandate prohibition bill, “No Vaccine Mandates in Higher Education Act” (HR 3044), text becomes available
• Lawsuit arising from the non-consensual sexual protection barrier removal bill, “Stealthing Act” (HR 3084), text becomes available
• Religious discrimination and antisemitism prohibition bill (HR 3282) awaiting committee action
• College foreign funding excise tax bill (HR 3284/S 1684) awaiting committee action
• Pell Grant expansion to skills-based education bill, “Promoting Employment and Lifelong Learning (PELL) Act” (S 1683), awaiting committee action

State and Local Government

Alabama

• Alabama public college gender identity name and pronoun employee usage protocol bill indefinitely postponed in the state house, effectively killing the bill;
• Alabama loitering while masked offense exemption for wearing a mask during protests establishing bill passes the state house and passes committee in the state senate

Arizona

• Arizona college encampments banning bill signed into law
• Arizona college campus concealed weapon authorization to carry bill passes the state legislature and sent to the governor
• Arizona DEI in hiring by the state prohibiting bill vetoed
• Arizona public college DEI curriculum banning bill vetoed

Arkansas

• Arkansas FAFSA applicants’ eligibility for SNAP dissemination requiring bill fails to pass the state legislature before the session ended

California

• California state legislature’s intent for future higher education legislation bill passes committee
• California colleges’ funds for providing affordable housing allocation of funding authorizing bill passes committee

Colorado

• Colorado college disability disclosure and academic adjustment policy bill signed into law
• Colorado K-12, college, and healthcare facility limitations on immigration enforcement access bill, “Protect Civil Rights Immigration Status,” passes the state legislature and sent to the governor

Connecticut

• Connecticut college Title IX disciplinary proceedings disclosure bill awaiting state house consideration

District of Columbia

• District of Columbia college sexual misconduct reporting, training, and information dissemination bill passed the legislature and became law without mayoral approval, pending Congressional review to become permanent law

Florida

• Florida college free speech requiring bill withdrawn from consideration
• Florida DEI banning bill withdrawn from consideration
• Florida public college’s undocumented student admission banning bill withdrawn from consideration
• Florida Hunger Free Campus Pilot program bill withdrawn from consideration
• Florida college omni bill withdrawn from consideration

Illinois

• Illinois swimming facilities allowing sporting good and fitness equipment systems installation bill passes the state senate and passes committee in the state house

Indiana

• Indiana state schools and colleges’ DEI statements and office prohibition bill signed into law

Maryland

• Maryland college Hunger-Free Campus Grant Program funding protocols bill signed into law
• Maryland private college Hunger-free Campuses bill signed into law

Minnesota

• Minnesota higher education budget bill gets press coverage while waiting for the state house and state senate to resolve differences in their versions

Nevada

• Nevada hazing on college campuses bill fails to pass the state legislature

New Hampshire

• New Hampshire public K-12 school and college facilities use for shelter of unauthorized residents prohibiting bill passes the state house and passes committee in the state senate
• New Hampshire child immunization objection by parents or legal guardians documentation requirement changing bill passes the state house and passes committee in the state senate

New Jersey

• New Jersey public college food waste reduction program requiring bill passes committee in the state assembly

New York

• New York college legacy admissions policies prohibiting bill awaiting state assembly committee action
• New York college student tuition assistance restricting for acts of antisemitism bill awaiting state assembly committee action

North Carolina

• North Carolina college student disciplinary records information dissemination prohibiting bill, “Protect Campus Survivors Act,” introduced

Oklahoma

• Oklahoma emotional support animal definition bill passes the state legislature and sent to the governor
• Oklahoma public college anti-DEI bill SB 796 version passes the state legislature and sent to the governor

Texas

• Texas college appropriation bill amended, passes the state house, and has a hearing scheduled in the state senate
• Texas college foreign gift and contract disclosures bill state house version amended, passes committee, and awaiting state house consideration, and state senate version awaiting committee action
• Texas college housing contracts with entities under payment disputes prohibiting bill passes the state house and now in the state senate
• Texas college accreditation bill state house version replaced by state senate version; state senate version amended, passes the state legislature, and sent to the governor
• Texas unhoused college student support bill state house version amended and passes committee in the state house, state senate version awaiting committee action
• Texas college non-academic fee student government approval protocol bill awaiting committee action
• Texas college DEI grantors and accrediting agencies exemption elimination bill awaiting committee action
• Texas college transcript or diploma withholding prohibiting bill awaiting committee action
• Texas college DEI coursework as condition for enrollment prohibiting bill awaiting committee action
• Texas college student union fee imposition bill state house version amended, passes the state house, and awaiting state senate action; state senate version awaiting committee action
• Texas college student nonresident admission restricting bill awaiting committee action
• Texas international college student enrollment limiting bill awaiting committee action
• Texas K-12 and colleges student immunization as a condition for enrollment prohibiting bill awaiting committee action
• Texas K-12 and college foreign funding and contracts disclosures and prohibition bill awaiting committee action
• Texas college veteran and disability services as justification for DEI offices prohibiting bill awaiting committee action
• Texas college DEI organization funding support prohibiting bill awaiting committee action
• Texas K-12 and college threatening behavior outreach program bill awaiting committee action
• Texas gender-affirming language use by government entities prohibiting bill awaiting committee action
• Texas college curriculum and oversight restructuring bill passes the state senate and awaiting state house committee action
• Texas college antisemitism prohibition policy requiring bill awaiting committee action
• Texas college campus sexual assault rate reporting bill awaiting committee action
• Texas college disability proof documentation rules bill awaiting committee action
• Texas college Title IX services information during orientation requiring bill state senate version amended and passes the state senate and state house version awaiting committee action
• Texas DEI in government entities offices or hiring practices prohibiting bill passes the state senate and passes committee in the state house
• Texas college student terrorist activity support penalizing bill has a hearing and now awaiting committee action
• Texas college support from foreign entities prohibiting bill awaiting committee action
• Texas college DEI course and degrees prohibiting bill awaiting committee action
• Texas college protests prohibiting campus encampments, masks, and sound amplifiers bill passes state senate committee

Other News – Education

• College sexual assault investigation at Appalachian State raises Clery Act, compliance questions reports local news source
• Columbia University students suspended after pro-Palestinian protest on campus reports The Columbia Spectator
• College campus protest group occupied building at University of Washington reports Reuters
• Kansas universities face pressure to end diversity efforts on campus reports local news source
• Virginia Commonwealth University’s eliminated DEI staffers’ reactions to being dismissed subject of article from Virginia Public Media

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.