Federal and state policy and legislative updates

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; see the Active Policy Solutions updates from February 18.

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.”

Government Updates

Federal

• Congress exploring stepping in as dozens of states could allow NCAA athletes to be paid
• Higher Education Act (HEA) reauthorization talks resume in the Senate, but Title IX complicates, Inside Higher Ed reports
• Title IX reform misinformation given by opposing state legislator on televised interview, The College Fix Reports
• Sexual assault complaints handling federal investigation settled by Utah State University
• Foreign gifts reporting at Ivy League universities being investigated by U.S. Department of Education
• Amount of federal endowment tax being paid reported

State & Local Government

Alabama

• Alabama school competitions prohibiting different gender participants bill approved by committee and awaiting vote by full state house

Arizona

• Arizona college viewpoint diversity bill faces critics
• Arizona college athlete royalties bill passes state house committee
• Arizona in-state tuition for DACA recipients resolution vote pushed for by Republican lawmaker
• Arizona gender specific grade school and public college interscholastic and intramural athletic team or sport bill committee hearing held

Colorado

• Colorado college athlete compensation and allow agents bill passes state senate and now goes to state house

Connecticut

• Connecticut college sexual misconduct climate survey and reporter protections bill hearing held

Florida

• Florida allowing college athletes to receive compensation bill approved by key committees
• Florida college athlete royalties and insurance bill amended and approved by committee and now heads to full state house

Idaho

• Idaho updating athletic agent licensing law bill hearing held
• Idaho affirmative action ban bill passes state house

Iowa

• Iowa bill allowing occupational therapists on student brain injury team recommended by subcommittee

Kansas

• Kansas concussion law should be updated, says Athletic Trainers’ Society

Maryland

• Maryland assaulting sports officials criminal offense bill article

Missouri

• Missouri transgender bill could hurt teens at risk for suicide, critics say
• Missouri no in-state tuition to Dreamers bill committee hearing held
• Missouri assaulting sports officials criminal offense bill passes state house committee
• Missouri sports official harassment and barring from athletic contest bill recommended to the full state house for passage

New Jersey

• New Jersey college athlete royalties bills passes state senate and heads to state assembly

Oregon

• Title IX discrimination complaint opens Oregon forestry sports to all genders
• Oregon college athlete royalties bill amended and passes state senate
• Oregon concussion education form bill passes state house

Tennessee

• Tennessee controversial antisemitism definition expanding bill under consideration

Texas

• Texas sues California over its travel ban to 11 states
• Texas advocates claim that to end hazing, students, not just the organizations, must be punished

Utah

• Utah Uniform Athletic Agents Act amendments bill passed state senate and favorably recommended by state house committee
• Utah higher education restructuring bill introduced and reported favorably from state senate committee; now heads to full state senate

Virginia

• Virginia athletic agents bill passes state house and has hearing in state senate committee
• Virginia college tuition rate freeze policy bill consideration postponed to 2021
• Virginia athletic trainers administrating anti-overdose treatment bill has hearing in state senate committee 2/14/2020 after passing state house
• Virginia sports official battery fine bill failed to be taken up by committee before state committee activity concluded for the year

Washington

• Washington college athlete bill has hearings and gets committee approval
• Washington amending rules for athletic agents bill committee hearing held
• Washington paying for college through change to the tax on businesses bill signed into law
• Washington’s Undocumented Student Support Loan program passes state senate

Wisconsin

• Wisconsin campus free speech bill passes state assembly

Wyoming

• Wyoming college gun carrying allowance bill fails to be considered by state senate
• Wyoming anti-hazing bill fails to be considered by state house

Civil Rights News

• Free speech reversal at the University of Louisville
• Connecticut high school athletes sue over transgender girls in competition
• Title IX lawsuit filed by college softball players in Montana
• Judge approves lawsuit claiming Carleton College ignored exculpatory evidence in rape case, the College Fix reports
• Campus confederate statue removal settlement voided by court
• White supremacist activity on campus hits record high

Sports News

• Sports events affected by coronavirus epidemic
• Concussion concerns in female lacrosse cause some to call for helmet mandate

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.