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 Government News

  • Congressional leaders reach agreement to avoid government shutdown
  • Federal COVID-19 relief of $908 billion proposed by group of bipartisan lawmakers

Federal Education

  • Cleary Act guidance including COVID-19 information provided to colleges by the U.S. Department of Education
  • Cleary Act guidelines from U.S. Department of Education create ambiguity, article says
  • Student loan forgiveness denials halted as Education Secretary Betsy DeVos faces lawsuit
  • Higher Education organizations send list of priorities to President-elect Biden

State and Local Government News

California

  • California removing voluntary sexual contact from mandatory reporting bill signed into law

Georgia

  • Georgia college athlete compensation bill introduced

Illinois

  • Illinois COVID-19 civil suit immunity bill introduced

Massachusetts

  • Massachusetts criminal harassment against a sports official bills ordered for study, see H5081
  • Massachusetts college personal protective equipment manufacturing liability shield bill ordered for study, see S2953
  • Massachusetts omnibus college sexual misconduct bill gains momentum with support from the speaker of the state house

New Jersey

  • New Jersey constitutional amendment on college sports betting bill introduced

Ohio

  • Ohio sports official assault penalty bill passed by state house
  • Ohio anti-bullying and hazing policies and penalties at public schools and colleges bill heads to state senate
  • Ohio bill banning transgender athletes from girls’ and women’s sports scheduled for committee hearing
  • Ohio public college free speech bill reported favorably out of house committee

Tennessee

  • Tennessee school sports participation based on sex at birth bill pre-filed for 2021

Texas

  • Texas has several bills pre-filed

Other News

  • College COVID-19 updates
  • Activities COVID-19 updates
  • High school and college football player risks explored in article
  • College athletic department financial difficulties due to the pandemic explored in article
  • College cheerleaders’ ability to profit despite NCAA regulations highlighted in article
  • Athlete COVID-19 testing availability versus other sectors of society critically examined in article
  • Fitness and mental health association shown in new study
  • Student shares perspective on her Title IX filing process
  • College student’s anti-male bias claim against university rejected by federal court

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.

 

  • For more information, please contact NIRSA Director of Advocacy & Strategic Partnerships Erin O’Sullivan.
Headshot of Erin O'Sullivan
Director of Advocacy & Strategic Partnerships at  | NIRSA Profile

Erin O'Sullivan is currently the Director of Advocacy & Strategic Partnerships at NIRSA.