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 & Health

• TCollege federal COVID-19 relief funding expenditure deadline may be extended reports Politico
• Title IX rule expansion for transgender school student-athlete participation in sports receives support from NEA reports Politico
• Updated college scorecard released by US Dept. of Education
• Feelings of loneliness and isolation declared a national epidemic by Surgeon General Murthy

Federal Legislation

• COVID-19 vaccination mandate nullification and prohibition bill, “Freedom of Mandates Act” (HR 119), awaiting committee action

Federal Comment Opportunity

• Public-funded healthcare eligibility for DACA recipients rule open to comments by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

State and Local Government

Arkansas

• Arkansas college and school opioid overdose reversal kits requiring bill signed into law
• Arkansas college sustainable building maintenance loan program bill signed into law

California

• California college campuses lack adequate sexual assault victim assistance resources reports Los Angeles Times

Colorado

• Colorado college student youth mentors stipend pilot program bill signed into law

Connecticut

• Connecticut state college system warns of ‘devastating’ budget cuts reports Inside Higher Ed

Florida

• Florida ban on diversity, equity, and inclusion statements in hiring and tenure on college campuses bill passes the state house and now in the state senate
• Florida higher education omnibus bill amended and passes the state senate and sent to the state house

Missouri

• Missouri school sports participation by sex assigned as birth bill, “Save Women’s Sports Act,” passes the state senate and passes committee in the state house

Montana

• Montana public college disciplinary rules and obligations bill passes the state house and has hearing in the state senate

New Hampshire

• New Hampshire mental health care providers permitted to treat via telemedicine bill passes the state senate and has hearing in the state house

New Jersey

• New Jersey college summer tuition aid grant bill signed into law

New York

• New York public college provision of abortion medication requirement bill signed into law

North Carolina

• North Carolina college campus emergency contraceptive vending machine requirement bill referred to committee
• North Carolina public college and community college oversight bill re-referred to committee

North Dakota

• North Dakota space and activity participation limitation by sex assigned at birth bill signed into law

Ohio

• Ohio public college free speech bill gets news coverage

Rhode Island

• Rhode Island college tuition waiver for foster children bill recommended for further study, likely killing the bill for this year

South Carolina

• South Carolina college student expression protection bill, “Forming Open and Robust University Minds (FORUM) Act,” gets press attention

Tennessee

• Tennessee college and school implicit bias training employee participation prohibiting bills pass the state legislature
• Tennessee Higher Education Freedom of Expression and Transparency Act bill signed into law
• Tennessee college ban on internet video platforms based outside of the US bills signed into law

Other Updates

• Private college tuition discount rates reach new high finds new study
• Nearly 60% of college students accessed mental health care in grades K-12 according to survey
• College counseling program provides group therapy sessions for students at Rutgers University in need of in-depth care reports Inside Higher Ed
• College student mental health challenges benefits of structured exercise programs subject of study

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.