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.”

Full SAHEC Policy Pages

In this issue:

Government Updates

Federal Stimulus/Appropriations

House earmarks return with new guidelines, article reports

Federal Education

National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) withdraws pending rule blocking graduate student unions

Federal Legislation

Title IX sex to mean sex at birth bill, the Safety and Opportunity for Girls Act (HR 1417), introduced

State and Local Government News

Iowa

Iowa college tenure prohibiting bill passes committee
Iowa remove gender identity as a protected class bill introduced
Iowa school use of toilet facilities corresponding with biological sex bill introduced

Kansas

Kansas “Campus Free Speech Act” bill introduced
Kansas college and school sports, including intramural, participation by sex at birth bill, “Fairness in Women’s Sports Act,” introduced

Kentucky

Kentucky college and school sports participation by sex at birth bill, “Save Women’s Sports Act,” introduced

Maryland

Maryland “Hunger-Free Campus Grant Program” bill introduced in both state chambers
Maryland college admissions limitations of evaluating student criminal history passes state senate and now before state house

Minnesota

Minnesota school sports participation sex at birth bills introduced in both chambers
Minnesota school sports participation sex at birth bill introduced

Mississippi

Mississippi hazing bill passed state house but died in state senate committee
Mississippi colleges anti-hazing policy bill passed state house but died in state senate committee
Mississippi “Sexual Assault Response for College Students Act” bill passed state house but died in state senate committee

Missouri

Missouri college student health insurance requiring prohibition bill has hearing
Missouri college students live on campus requirement bill has hearing
Missouri school sports participation by sex at birth bills introduced
Missouri school sports participation by sex at birth constitution amendment bills has hearing
Missouri college and school sports participation by sex at birth “Save Women’s Sports Act” bill introduced

Montana

Montana eliminating religious exemption regarding reporting sexual abuse bill appears to have been withdrawn from consideration

Other News

College COVID-19 updates
College issues are reported by college presidents through ACE survey
Activities and other COVID-19 updates
Concussion resources for patients and caregivers released online by Concussion Legacy Foundation

Full SAHEC Policy Pages

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.