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 Legislation

• Title IX Rule release delay unacceptable to groups urging the U.S. Department of Education to stop using the coronavirus as an excuse to stall, The College Fix reports
• OCR 100: An Introduction to Federal Civil Rights Protections in Education released by the U.S. Department of Education
• Federal court decision touches on adequacy of procedures for sexual misconduct investigations at colleges and universities
• POLITICO provides review of the past two years of the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights
• Secretary DeVos delivers more than $6 billion in emergency cash grants for college students impacted by coronavirus outbreak

Coronavirus Update

• Stimulus legislation update
• Latest on future coronavirus legislation
• CARES Act: New nonprofit provisions pushed for next round of relief money
• Speaker Pelosi urges Federal Reserve to include colleges and non-profits in emergency lending program
• 180+ groups urge Congress to pass $500 billion in unrestricted aid to state, local governments
• MENTOR issues call to action in support of young people during the COVID-19 epidemic
• White House issues guidelines to states for reopening
• Significant testing needed for schools to reopen, POLITICO reports
• Administration task force to reopen the country does not include education officials
• President Trump convenes sports commissioners in hopes of filling stadiums

State & Local Government

Arizona

• Arizona college viewpoint diversity bill making its way through state legislature

California

• California college free speech statement bill committee hearing postponed

Idaho

• Idaho transgender sports ban to be challenged in court by ACLU

New Jersey

• New Jersey college meal and housing credit due to COVID-19 bill introduced

Virginia

• Virginia gender discrimination bill signed into law

Washington

• Washington college sexual misconduct climate assessment, disclosure, screening, and witness/complainant protections bill signed into law
• Washington head injury/concussion reporting bill signed into law

Education News

• Moody’s: Higher ed’s recovery from coronavirus impact partly depends on government response
• Top five education policy issues being monitored by POLITICO during the pandemic
• College students can now appeal financial aid decision via new web tool
• Number of undocumented students attending U.S. colleges increased significantly, POLITICO reports

Civil Rights News

• Baylor Title IX lawsuit plaintiffs can’t seek punitive damages, judge decides, for failing to inform him he may have been exposed to HIV
• For colleges, insurance against sexual misconduct is becoming harder to get
• Free speech organization raises concerns over higher education language restrictions

Sports News

• College athlete royalties policies update in Knight Commission video
• NCAA concussion class action settlement agreement reached

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.