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 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

• Higher education transparency focus of Senate HELP Committee’s top Republican Bill Cassidy (R-LA) according to interview with Politico
• College information technology group asks US Dept. of Education to reconsider third-party servicer guidelines reports EdScoop

Federal Legislation

• Student loan forgiveness prohibition bill, “Student Loan Accountability Act” (HR 1211), introduced
• College disclosure of foreign influence requirement bill, “Stop Higher Education Espionage and Theft Act” (HR 1146), awaiting action in committee

State and Local Government

Colorado

• Colorado college suicide prevention information on student IDs bill becomes law

Connecticut

• Connecticut college emergency contraception selling through vending machines allowing bill amended and passes out of committee

Florida

• Florida public college tuition waiver for athletes bill referred to committee

Hawaii

• Hawaii University of Hawaii sexual assault training bill passes the state house and referred to state senate committee

Iowa

• Iowa’s three public universities to pause new DEI programs while State Regent Board studies the programs reports Higher Ed Dive

Kansas

• Kansas college and school sports participation by sex assigned at birth bill, “Fairness in Women’s Sports Act,” vetoed by the governor
• Kansas vaccine exemption bill with college housing meningitis vaccination requirement release scheduled for hearing

Maryland

• Maryland public college student withdrawal and reimbursement bill, “Cameron Carden Act of 2023,” passes the state house and now before the state senate
• Maryland college contracting with gambling entities prohibiting bill passes the state house and sent to the state senate

Tennessee

• Tennessee state college administrator compensation reporting bill fails in state house committee
• Tennessee Higher Education Freedom of Expression and Transparency Act referred to committee in both chambers

Texas

• Texas universities stopping DEI initiatives per Gov. Greg Abbott’s order reports Higher Ed Dive
• Texas public college diversity bill referred to committee
• Texas public college sexual harassment signage bill referred to committee
• Texas college Healthy Minds Campus program establishment bill referred to committee
• Texas sex classification by state government entities bill introduced
• Texas telemedicine health care coverage bill introduced
• Texas college applicant criminal history query bill introduced
• Texas public college free non-prescription contraception bill introduced
• Texas public college evidence-based substance abuse awareness program including fentanyl requiring bill introduced
• Texas Hunger Free Campus bill introduced
• Texas college sports participation by sex assigned at birth bill passed favorably out of committee
• Texas public college free speech for organizations and members bill referred to committee
• Texas college semi-automatic rifle ban bill introduced

Washington

• West Virginia college and school student identification cards with suicide prevention information bill signed into law

Other Updates

• Some universities reconfiguring mental health services and counseling centers reports Inside Higher Ed
• College transgender male and nonbinary student admissions eligible to Wellesley College called for by students
• College racial justice lessons complaint by parent reason for dismissal college professor claims reports The Hill

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.