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

• US Dept. of Education Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights confirmed by the Senate
• US Dept. of Education staff reduction and mass federal layoffs amid government shutdown reported on by the Institute for Educational Leadership
• College funding termination for institutions that violate federal civil rights law updated protocol to be issued US Dept. of Education
• College declines Trump Administration’s offer to receive advantages and priority funding from federal government
• Minnesota declines to respond to the Trump Administration’s ultimatum to amend its transgender athlete laws
• College Title IX violation found due to ignoring harassment of male student labeled a “rapist”

Federal Health

• Immunization schedule adopted by the CDC in conjunction with ACIP-issued recommendations

State and Local Government

California

• California college housing development regulation easing under the Coastal Act bill signed into law
• California community college housing development regulation easing under local zoning ordinances bill signed into law
• California community college deported student continuation of in-state rate allowing bill vetoed by the governor
• California college development projects falling under affordable housing law bill signed into law
• California college graduate student leave of absence or pregnancy or parenting authorizing bill signed into law
• California college policies for undocumented students affected by federal immigration orders establishing bill signed into law
• California immigration interactions model policies bill signed into law

Florida

• Florida public colleges’ roads named for Charlie Kirk requiring bill pre-filed for 2026

Pennsylvania

• Pennsylvania college hate-based incident reporting and sexual harassment policy updating bill introduced

Utah

• Utah higher education statutory update and legislature reporting instructions bill with name, image, and likeness reporting provision bill sent to the governor for approval

Wisconsin

• Wisconsin service animals and emotional support animals in residential buildings bill passes the state assembly and now in the state senate where a hearing was held
• Wisconsin college free speech and academic freedom standards establishing bill introduced

Other Updates

• Vaccine schedule efficacy, parental views, and attitudes survey conducted by KFF and The Washington Post
• New synthetic drug, 7-OH, causing a new addiction crisis warns experts
• Liberty University’s transgender employee firing lawsuit defended as First Amendment and religious freedom protection reports local ABC News
• College student housing at MSU to have dual sex bathrooms, raising concerns reports local news sources

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.