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 NRISA 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
- College student inaugural paid intern program announced by White House
- Sexual abuse prevention groups call for US Department of Education to investigate nondisclosure agreement use according to Higher Ed Dive
- US Department of Education announces Federal student aid programming deadlines
- College student athletes’ employee status to be determined by 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals
Federal Comment Opportunities
- Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 2022-23 through 2024-25 comment period reopened
Federal Legislation
- College and graduate student loan issuing authority of the US Department of Education termination bill, “Combating Excessive Student Debt Act” (HR 7895), introduced
- Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act (HR 426) adds a new cosponsor
- Enhancing Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Through Campus Planning Act (HR 5407) passes House committee
- College alcohol and substance misuse program updating bill, “Campus Prevention and Recovery Services for Students Act of 2022” (HR 6493), passes out of committee
- School based mental health support bill, the “Mental Health Matters Act” (HR 7780), passes out of committee
State and Local Government
Arizona
- Arizona college disability documentation bill signed into law
California
- California college sorority and fraternity recognition policy setting bill, “Campus-Affiliated Sorority and Fraternity Transparency Act,” passes the state assembly and passes committee in the state senate
- California college sexual assault services expansion bill passes the state assembly and passes committee in the state senate
- California college housing survey request bill passes the state assembly and now before the state senate
- California college student health insurance as individual health insurance coverage bill passes the state assembly and referred to committee in the state senate
- California colleges wellness product dispensing vending machine program bill passes the state assembly; amended in state senate committee
- California college student housing on campus information bill passes the state assembly and now before the state senate
- California public college housing projects exempt for certain environmental reviews bill amended, passes the state senate and now before the state assembly
Colorado
- Colorado college intellectual and developmental disabilities inclusion bill signed into law
- Colorado in-state tuition for graduate students bill signed into law
- Colorado college students with disabilities support bill signed into law
- Colorado college competitiveness bill sent to governor
Georgia
- Georgia firearm without permit for concealed carry bill signed into law
- Georgia COVID-19 vaccine passport prohibition bill signed into law
Hawaii
- Hawaii college for-profit status disclosure requiring bill fails to pass the legislature
- Hawaii school and college freedom of press protections for student journalists bills fail to pass the legislature
- Hawaii school sports participation by sex at birth bill failed to pass the legislature
- Hawaii college trauma impact training requiring bill fails to pass the state legislature
- Hawaii free community colleges bill fails to pass the state legislature
Illinois
- Illinois college student aid for course materials bill signed into law
Louisiana
- Louisiana hunger-free campus grant program establishment bill passes the legislature
- Louisiana college and school sports participation by gender assigned at birth bill, the “Fairness in
- Women’s Sports Act,” becomes law without action by the governor
Massachusetts
- Massachusetts requiring all public colleges to provide medication abortions bill introduced and reported favorably out of committee
- Massachusetts hunger-free campus initiative bill, the “Massachusetts Hunger-Free Campus Grant Program,” passes committee
- Massachusetts athletic training and athletic training definitions expansion bill pending an investigation and study of certain current state senate documents relative to public health issues
Minnesota
- Minnesota higher education funding bill passes conference committee and now back under consideration by both the state house and state senate
New Hampshire
- New Hampshire college student vaccine mandates exemptions requiring bill referred to interim study committee
New Jersey
- New Jersey out-of-state healthcare provider telehealth service permission bill introduced
- New Jersey college employee victim-centered training bill introduced
New York
- New York state college student mental health requirements bill re-referred to committee
- New York college students with disability materials requirements for publishers law extension bill substituted for the senate version
- New York student hunger free campus bill passes the state senate and now before the state house
- New York licensure of athletic trainers’ amendment bill passes the state senate and now before the state assembly
- New York public entities required to have opioid antagonists bill passes the state senate and sent to the state house
Rhode Island
- Rhode Island colleges armed police requiring bill recommended to further study
South Carolina
- South Carolina COVID-19 vaccine for employment barring bill signed into law
Tennessee
- Tennessee college sports participation by gender assigned at birth bill, “Fairness in Women’s College Sports,” signed into law
Utah
- Utah families sue state over transgender girls being excluded from sports according to Public News Service
Health & Wellness
- College student mental health designated advocates use during disciplinary proceedings subject of article in The Chronicle of Higher Education
Civil Rights
- Colleges forcing students to waive federal rights in some rape cases according to USA Today
- Free speech advocacy efforts by FIRE include $75 million investment, expanded scope, and name change
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.
Erin O'Sullivan is currently the Director of Advocacy & Strategic Partnerships at NIRSA.
