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 Budget

•        Coronavirus relief negotiations pushed for by House leaders with to uptick in coronavirus cases
•        Student debt withholding from tax refunds a concern of Senate Democrats

Federal Education

• Colleges and K-12 schools need $50 to $75 billion to reopen safely, Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) estimates
• Higher education unreported foreign funds discovered by U.S. Department of Education
• International student visa program remains intact after the President ends temporary work visas through the end of the year
• College athletics compensation framework explored by Senate Commerce Committee
• College sports can’t return to business as usual say Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) and professional basketball player advise
• Title IX regulation deadline hold supported by briefs submitted by higher education groups
• Higher education groups express concerns over Title IX rule implementation date again
• Title IX regulations defended by civil liberties groups
• Campus sexual assault policy changes not widely known, Inside Higher Ed reports

Federal Legislation

• Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) bill to extended the application period passed by Senate
• Borrower-defense veto override fails in Congress, Inside Higher Ed reports
• Student Recovery Eligibility for Low-Income Individuals to Exact Funds (RELIEF) Act (HR 7295) introduced
• Improving College Affordability for Our Guard and Reserve Act (HR 7372) introduced
• A bill to cancel the repayment obligation of HBCU to repay certain capital financing loans (HR 7380) introduced
• COVID-19 Youth Sports and Working Families Relief Act (HR 6912) gains cosponsors
• Protecting Nonprofits from Catastrophic Cash Flow Strain Act (S 4001) introduced

State & Local Government

California

• Reinstating affirmative action will be decided by Californians in November
• California college education bill referred to state senate committee

Florida

• Florida heat stroke protections enacted for student athletes
• Florida heat injury prevention and sudden cardiac arrest related bill approved by governor
• Florida athletic trainer bill signed into law

Georgia

• Georgia hazing bill fails to pass legislature

Kansas

• Kansas sports official harassment bill dies in committee

Minnesota

• Minnesota athletic trainers act bill introduced

New Hampshire

• New Hampshire sexual assault, misconduct, and victim’s rights bill has different versions pass each state legislative chamber
• New Hampshire children of disabled veterans tuition bill has different versions pass each state legislative chamber

New Jersey

• New Jersey hazing policy changing bill referred to state assembly committee
• New Jersey bill reducing college financial aid when private scholarships received reported favorably from state senate committee after hearing
• New Jersey post college employment data bill introduced

North Carolina

• North Carolina college COVID-19 lawsuit protection bill passed by state legislature
• North Carolina COVID-19 liability limiting bill passes the state legislature

Pennsylvania

• Pennsylvania higher education reform bill passed by state legislature as amended and sent to governor

Education

• Campus reopening/closures updates
• Higher education challenges worsened by coronavirus, report shows
• College students with special needs impacted by COVID-19 shown in study

Health, Wellness, and Nutrition

• College student COVID-19 outbreak after a spring break trip to Mexico, according to a CDC report

Sports & Recreation

• Return to play updates
• NCAA Division I Council extends waiver allowing virtual, nonphysical activities through July
• Cheerleaders and marching bands to be limited by NCAA’s American Athletic Conference this fall
• College athletes have better academic, life outcomes, study shows
• Schools in 11 states suspend sports for second time due to coronavirus
• Iowa high school teams playing it safe, fans less so, school officials say
• USA Football plans return to play for youth in 2020
• As youth sports return, doctors urge athletes to take ‘quaranteam’ pledge
• Youth sports patchwork of responses looked at while cases in some COVID-19 hot spots continue to rise

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.