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 this 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 Legislation

• Stimulus package passes the House
• Planning is already underway for next coronavirus legislation
• No movement on finalization of Title IX Rule, reports Politico

Funding

• Federal funding opportunity: Anti-doping in Sport 2020 athlete education program

State & Local Government

California

• California college free speech statement bill scheduled for hearing
• California post-degree education fund for student athletes bill referred to committee

Colorado

• Colorado college athlete compensation and allow agents bill signed into law

Florida

• Florida allowing college athletes to receive compensation bill passes both houses of state legislature
• Florida college athletes compensation other bills died in committee and/or withdrawn
• Florida heat injury prevention and sudden cardiac arrest related bill passes state legislature

Georgia

• Georgia college free expression bill passes state senate
• Georgia hazing bill passes state senate
• Georgia in-state tuition for dreamers bill failed to advance beyond committee

Hawaii

• Hawaii college safety protocols state senate bill passes state senate and is referred to state house committee

Idaho

• Idaho updating athletic agent licensing law bill signed into law
• Idaho state senate passes anti-affirmative action bill
• Idaho bills restricting transgender rights sent to governor

Kentucky

• Kentucky national crisis hotlines on middle and high school and college IDs bill passed by state legislature and sent to governor
• Kentucky crime against sports official bill passed state house and sent to state senate
• Kentucky athletic trainer profession standards bill passed by state legislature and sent to governor

Maryland

• Maryland for-profit college aid restriction bill passed state legislature and sent to governor
• Maryland state legislature passes bill funding minority colleges and universities
• Maryland return to play and sports playing time bill reported unfavorably by committee and withdrawn

Massachusetts

• Massachusetts student loan bill of rights establishing bill changes number and then passes state senate committee
• Massachusetts insurance coverage of EKGs and concussion analysis for those under 18 bill reported favorably by committee and referred to second committee
• Massachusetts omnibus college sexual assault bill referred to committee

Mississippi

• Mississippi college student sexual assault response bill passes state house
• Mississippi college religious association equality bill passed by state house

Missouri

• Missouri college free expression bill has public hearing
• Missouri transgender high school sports bill referred to committee
• Missouri allowing student athletes to collect royalties bill reported out of committee
• Missouri suicide hotline number on school and college IDs bill passes state senate committee

New Hampshire

• New Hampshire college sexual assault awareness bill updated and passed favorably out of committee
• New Hampshire free speech bill passes state house and now heads to state senate
• New Hampshire gender specific sports participation state senate bill awaits action, while state house version dies in committee
• New Hampshire concussion return to learning bill committee hearing cancelled

New Jersey

• New Jersey college athlete royalties bills updated and reported favorable out of respective committees
• New Jersey youth sports task force bill has public hearing

Oregon

• Oregon college athlete royalties bill passed state senate and recommended by state house committee, but left without consideration by full house upon adjournment

Rhode Island

• Rhode Island athletic trainer requirement bill recommended held for further study

South Carolina

• South Carolina gender specific interscholastic sports participation bill committee hearing scheduled

South Dakota

• South Dakota college operation and functions bill becomes law

Tennessee

• Tennessee college athlete royalties bill still awaiting committee review
• Tennessee gender specific school sports bills updates
• Tennessee college lottery funding bill deferred due to coronavirus pandemic
• Tennessee guns on campus bills update

Utah

• Utah higher education restructuring bill passed by state legislature
• Utah college discriminatory harassment and expression bill failed to pass state senate after passing state house
• Utah athletic trainer expenses health insurance coverage bill failed to pass state house

Virginia

• Virginia college student journalists protections bill passes state legislature and sent to governor
• Virginia college student arbitration rules bill passed by state legislature

Washington

• Washington sexual misconduct climate assessment, disclosure, screening, and witness/ complainant protections bill passed by state legislature and sent to governor
• Washington suicide prevention and crisis phone numbers on grade school and college student and staff ID cards bills passed by state legislature and sent to governor
• Washington hair discrimination bill passed by state legislature and sent to governor
• Washington amending rules for athletic agents bill passed by state legislature and sent to governor
• Washington flavored vaping ban failed to pass state legislature

West Virginia

• West Virginia banning discrimination based on hair bill failed to pass legislature

Education News

• Moody’s lowers higher education outlook to ‘negative’ amid coronavirus crisis
• Nearly half of community colleges allowed by states to offer Bachelor degree programs, report says

Civil Rights News

• Title IX does not apply, Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) claims over transgender athlete issue

Sports News

• NCAA eligibility concerns raised by coronavirus closings and cancellations
• NCAA to pursue eligibility extension for spring sport athletes
• High school sports officials shortage leads to scheduling problems, research shows
• Concussion head sensors often record false positive impact events in youth sports, study shows

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.