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 NRISA 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

  • Increased college Pell Grant awards and free community college part of President Biden’s new budget proposal
  • Reauthorization of Higher Education Act (HEA) sought by Rep. Virginia Foxx reports Inside Higher Ed
  • Expansion of college admissions race and legacy data by US Dept. of Education urged by Members of Congress reports Higher Ed Dive

Federal Legislation

  • Mental and behavioral health services Medicare changes bill, “Increasing Mental Health Options Act” (S 669) introduced
  • Reproductive health services protections and rights to travel for such services protection bill, “Women’s Health Protection Act” (S 701), introduced
  • Transgender women’s participation in women’s sports hearing held by US House Committee on Education and the Workforce
  • College and school sports Title IX determination based on sex assigned at birth, “Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act” (S 613), adds 3 new cosponsors

State and Local Government

Alaska

  • Alaska telehealth out-of-state multidisciplinary team authorization to provide services bill introduced

Arizona

  • Arizona vaccination mandate prohibition bill passes the state senate and sent to the state house

Arkansas

  • Arkansas counseling compact bill passes the state legislature and sent to the governor

California

  • California mental health professionals on college campuses contracting out bill hearing scheduled

Colorado

  • Colorado college suicide prevention information on student IDs bill passes the legislature and awaiting action by the governor
  • Colorado school sports participation by sex assigned at birth bill, “Women’s Rights in Athletics Act,” fails to become law

Connecticut

  • Connecticut out-of-state medical providers telehealth provision of services bill passes joint committee

Florida

  • Florida ban on diversity, equity, and inclusion statements in hiring and tenure on college campuses bills introduced in the state house and the state senate

Georgia

  • Georgia college student Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) eligibility bill introduced
  • Georgia college sexual assault and prevention omnibus bill introduced

Hawaii

  • Hawaii college restrooms menstrual products providing resolution referred to committee

Illinois

  • Illinois out-of-state college student telehealth bill passes committee
  • Illinois college curricula required to meet diversity, equity, and inclusion principles bill introduced

Iowa

  • Iowa college diversity, equity, and inclusion offices and staff prohibiting study bill reported as Do Pass by committee

Kansas

  • Kansas college and school sports participation by sex assigned at birth bill, “Fairness in Women’s Sports Act,” passes the legislature and sent to the governor

Mississippi

  • Mississippi psychology inter-jurisdictional compact bill fails to pass the legislature

Nevada

  • Nevada public college fee waiver for homeless students bill referred to committee

New Jersey

  • New Jersey out-of-state mental health practitioners allowance bill referred to committee
  • New Jersey college campus opioid overdose reversal drug requirement bills introduced in the state senate and introduced and combined with A 4852 in the state assembly

North Dakota

  • North Dakota space and activity participation limitation by sex assigned at birth bill passes the state house and hearing scheduled in the state senate

Ohio

  • Ohio school sports participation by sex assigned at birth bill, Save Women’s Sports Act, referred to committee

Oregon

  • Oregon college sexual misconduct procedures setting and Sexual Misconduct Survey Council creating bill hearing scheduled

Tennessee

  • Tennessee Higher Education Freedom of Expression and Transparency Act bill passes committee
  • Tennessee state college administrator compensation reporting bill passes committee
  • Tennessee college and school concealed carry of firearms state house bill scheduled for hearing, while the state senate version is rejected by committee in that chamber
  • Tennessee college ban on internet video platforms based outside of the United States bill passes the state senate

Texas

  • Texas college student women’s health programs notifying bills introduced
  • Texas public college student housing construction partner with private company prohibition bill introduced
  • Texas college applicant health coverage information bill introduced
  • Texas public college tobacco ban bill introduced
  • Texas public college free menstrual products in bathrooms bills introduced
  • Texas public college criminal and disciplinary history admissions consideration ban bill introduced
  • Texas college and school COVID-19 vaccine mandate ban bill referred to committee
  • Texas school and college sexual behavior survey ban bill referred to committee
  • Texas public college homeless student resources and priority housing bills referred to committees
  • Texas automatic public college entrance for home schooled students bills introduced

Utah

  • Utah vaccine passport prohibition bill passes the state legislature and sent to the governor

Vermont

  • Vermont college sexual assault guidelines bill referred to committee

Washington

  • Washington college student basic needs bill gets press attention
  • Washington semiautomatic external defibrillators at fitness centers requiring bill passes the state senate and hearing scheduled in the state house

Funding

  • College sexual assault culturally specific responses grant opportunity from the US Dept. of Justice is now open
  • College campus sexual assault response training funding opportunity from the US Dept. of Justice is now open

Other Updates

  • College program for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities to be launched by Texas State University
  • High school students want a “kinder” college admissions process during current youth mental health crisis reports The Los Angeles Times
  • Single-gender college housing option offered at Yale University after student protest reports the Yale Daily News
  • Targeted transgender college policies impacts subject of article from Temple University’s The Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice

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.

  • For more information, please contact NIRSA Director of Advocacy & Strategic Partnerships Erin O’Sullivan.
Headshot of Erin O'Sullivan
Director of Advocacy & Strategic Partnerships at | NIRSA Profile

Erin O'Sullivan is currently the Director of Advocacy & Strategic Partnerships at NIRSA.