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 blocked from enforcing anti-diversity and anti-transgender Executive Orders by federal judge
• US Dept. of Education staff cuts judicial pause affirmed in appeal reports Higher Ed Dive
• Colleges with DEI NIH grant ban rescinded and then reinstated

Federal Education

• US Dept. of Education priorities discussed by Secretary Linda McMahon before Congress
• US Dept. of Education paying “laid off” employees $7+ million a month reports CNN
• US Dept. of Education Office for Civil Rights (OCR) nominee confirmation hearing held in Senate
• Pell Grant proposed funding cuts in the House-passed reconciliation bill analysis from CNBC
• Congressional committee investigating Harvard’s faculty hiring practices reports The Harvard Crimson
• 18 research colleges seek to aid Harvard’s legal challenge against the Trump Administration over grant funding cuts reports Higher Ed Dive
• California transgender sports policy subject of state lawsuit against the US Dept. of Justice reports K-12 Dive
• New Hampshire transgender student-athletes file lawsuit against the state and Trump Administration reports local news source
• University of Wyoming under Title IX investigation by the Trump Administration for transgender sorority sister reports local news source
• Texas colleges’ undocumented immigrants’ in-state tuition law struck down by federal judge reports Higher Ed Dive

Federal Health

• Vaccine critics and misinformation spreaders among new ACIP members announced by HHS Secretary Kennedy reports The Hill

Federal Legislation

• LGBTQ+ targeting Executive Orders repealing bill (HR 3708/S 1957) awaiting committee action
• College students with disabilities bill, “Respond, Innovate, Succeed, and Empower (RISE) Act,”  reintroduced

State and Local Government

Arizona

• Arizona immunization FDA not yet approved exemption bill fails to become law

Arkansas

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

Connecticut

• Connecticut public K-12 and college student-athletes assigned male at birth participation on female-only teams and access to gender-designated locker rooms and facilities prohibiting bill fails to become law
• Connecticut college and school sports participation matching gender assigned at birth requiring bill fails to become law

Idaho

• Idaho sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination prohibiting bill fails to become law
• Idaho college DEI banning bill fails to become law

Indiana

• Indiana constitutional carry gun procession allowing, including in schools and colleges, bill fails to become law
• Indiana state college free speech protections and prohibition of discrimination in admissions and financial aid decisions establishing bill fails to become law

Kansas

• Kansas sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination prohibiting bill fails to become law due to not meeting the state legislative crossover deadline
• Kansas law enforcement assistance in ICE activities on school grounds, in religious buildings, or hospitals prohibiting bill fails to become law due to not meeting the state legislative crossover deadline

Minnesota

• Minnesota higher education omnibus funding and policy bill with campus sexual violence and opiate antagonist provisions introduced in special session

North Carolina

• North Carolina college and school hazing prevention and penalty bill, “Harrison’s Law,” state senate
• version amended, passes the state senate, and passes committee in the state house
• North Carolina designating restroom, changing room, and sleeping quarter usage by gender requiring bill, “Women’s Safety and Protection Act,” fails to become law due to not meeting the state legislative crossover deadline
• North Carolina college DEI office prohibition bill amended, passes the state senate, and awaiting state house committee action

Pennsylvania

• Pennsylvania college sex trafficking and sexual exploitation prevention education program bill passes committee and is awaiting state house consideration
• Pennsylvania college and K-12 school sexual and dating violence prevention support bill awaiting committee action

Rhode Island

• Rhode Island college student with disability academic accommodations bill referred to further study, likely killing the bill
• Rhode Island tenant with disability emotional support animal accommodation bill referred to further study, likely killing the bill
• Rhode Island college residential staff opioid reversal agent administration training requirement bill passes the state house

Texas

• Texas first generation college student support program bill fails to become law upon the state legislature’s adjournment

Other News

• University of Michigan using private investigators to monitor pro-Palestinian students reports The Guardian
• Universities spending significant amounts on student support services reports Inside Higher Ed
• College student drop-out reasons linked to lack of goals or sense of self study finds
• College students who have dropped out return rate increasing in most states according to report from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center
• Grade 7-12 students’ postsecondary plans survey shows increased interest in non-degree education paths reports Higher Ed Dive

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.