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

• U.S. Department of Education expands Federal Work-Study to private sector
• White House to promote alternatives to four-year degree
• Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI) introduces plan to address higher education affordability

State & Local Government

Alabama

• Alabama gender non-specific school competitions prohibiting bill tabled and rescheduled
• Alabama athletic trainers bill sits in state house committee

Arizona

• Arizona college athlete royalties passes house education committee; hearing scheduled in house rules committee
• Arizona house committee approves bill to ban transgender females from competing in sports
• Arizona suicide prevention numbers of grade and college student IDs bill passed by committee

California

• California college free speech statement bill introduced

Colorado

• Colorado college athlete compensation and representation of student athletes bill committee hearing scheduled
• Colorado gender specific school sports participating bill postponed indefinitely

Hawaii

• Hawaii college safety protocols state senate bill is amended and passed out of second committee
• Hawaii out-of-state physicians treating sports team bill passes committee

Idaho

• Idaho transgender sports bill heads to full house after two days of committee hearings

Iowa

• Iowa student athlete compensation and agent bill sits in subcommittee
• Iowa college athletes earning money bill committee report approved, bill renumbered as SF2330
• Iowa bill allowing occupational therapists on student brain injury team approved by committee

Kansas

• Kansas gender-athletic participation bill sits in committee

Minnesota

• Minnesota college student information privacy bill sits in committee
• Minnesota student athlete compensation bill sits in committee
• Minnesota bill on student athlete concussion and sudden cardiac arrest sits in committee

Mississippi

• Mississippi college athlete compensation legislation sits in committee

Missouri

• Missouri transgender sports participation ballot amendment hearing held
• Missouri no in-state tuition to Dreamers bill passes committee
• Missouri college comparison information bill public hearing held
• Missouri state licensure of those with criminal records bill sits in committee

New Hampshire

• New Hampshire gender specific sports participation bill hearing scheduled
• New Hampshire allowing college student athlete compensation bill referred to second house committee
• New Hampshire college student protective order bill referred for interim study

New Jersey

• New Jersey college student journalist freedom of expression bill sits in committee
• New Jersey “proprietary schools” bill reintroduced

Ohio

• Ohio sports official assault penalty bill has committee hearing

Oregon

• Oregon college athlete royalties bill house committee hearing scheduled
• Oregon concussion education form bill passes both houses of state legislature

Tennessee

• Tennessee campus concealed carry bills under consideration

Texas

• Texas law as of January 1 makes all employees of Texas universities mandatory reporters of assault and harassment

Utah

• Utah college discriminatory harassment and expression bill recommended favorably by committee

Vermont

• Vermont college athlete royalties bill committee hearing held

Virginia

• Virginia college activities fees bill fails to pass

Washington

• Washington college sexual misconduct climate assessment, disclosure, screening, and witness/complainant protections bill has committee hearing
• Washington amending rules for athletic agents bill passes state senate; scheduled for committee hearing in house

West Virginia

• West Virginia campus conceal carry bill introduced
• West Virginia college administrative or financially exempted status bill sits in committee
• West Virginia student athlete compensation bill sits in committee
• West Virginia gender-athletic participation bill sits in committee

Civil Rights News

• FFIRE submits comment to the U.S. Department of Education on proposed religious liberty and campus free speech regulations
• Gun rights advocate vows to return to college campus despite facing abuse during recent visit
• Benefits to colleges of female faculty hiring and promoting explored in article
• Title IX Minnesota university permanent injunction violation to be considered by judge
• Title IX changes and how colleges and universities keep up with them explored in article
• Universities targeted over bias against men
• Virginia Tech hazing suspension lawsuit settled
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) must make changes to website due to National Association of Deaf settlement, POLITICO reports

Other News

• Colorado State University faculty urge cut in athletic spending

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.