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 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 Appropriations

• Federal appropriations for colleges focus of article from Inside Higher Ed
• College data collection coverage as part of FY24 spending bill covered by POLITICO

Federal Education

• Title IX sports final Rule change release likely to be delayed until after the presidential election in November reports Inside Higher Ed
• College FAFSA new form rollout problems update from POLITICO

Federal Legislation

• College penalty for students defaulting on loans bill (HR 7831) introduced
• Higher education assistance eligibility expansion for National Guard service members bill (HR 7543/S 3873) text becomes available
• Federal work-study program reauthorization bill, “Opportunities for Success Act” (HR 7644), text become available

State and Local Government

Alaska

• Alaska school athletic team and sports designation by sex assigned at birth bill gets press coverage

Arizona

• Arizona college concealed carry with valid permit restricting policy prohibiting bill waiting on the governor’s signature

California

• California college system Title IX and nondiscrimination offices creating bill in committee
• California public college sex discrimination annual report requiring bill introduced
• California college harassment, intimidation, and discrimination prohibiting bill, “Equity in Higher Education Act,” in committee

Colorado

• Colorado college students who are homeless financial aid program creating bill introduced

Connecticut

• Connecticut college legacy admissions prohibiting bill passes out of committee and awaiting vote by the full state senate

Florida

• Florida college campus bed provision for health care workers bill sent to the governor
• Florida college student terrorism promotion reporting requirements bill fails to become law
• Florida school and college political flag displaying prohibition bill fails to become law
• Florida public K-12 school and college sexual harassment prevention information provision bill fails to become law
• Florida college Single-Sex Student Organizations’ Bill of Rights bill fails to become law
• Florida college students who are homeless support bill fails to become law
• Florida gender assigned at birth bill fails to become law
• Florida mental health training for youth interaction bill fails to become law
• Florida college emergency plan sharing with foreign governments prohibiting bill signed into law
• Florida school and college political influence teaching prohibition and college faculty collective bargaining bill fails to become law
• Florida college emergency responses information shielding bill merged into FL HB 7007, which was signed into law

Hawaii

• Hawaii college and school AED and CPR training and placement requiring bill introduced
• Hawaii college telework report requiring bill introduced
• Hawaii college student meal dietary needs requiring bill introduced

Idaho

• Idaho college and school vaccination exemptions permitting bill signed by the governor
• Idaho college diversity statement requirement for admission or employment prohibiting new law gets press coverage
• Idaho college DEI offices or hiring prohibiting bill introduced

Illinois

• Illinois college student mental health days requiring bill introduced

Iowa

• Iowa public college student organizations supporting terrorism prohibiting bill introduced
• Iowa college tuition cap bill introduced

Kansas

• Kansas college diversity statement in admission or hiring protocols prohibiting bill passes the state house and is now in the state senate
• Kansas college and school menstrual products availability requiring bill introduced
• Kansas college DEI statements prohibiting bill introduced

Kentucky

• Kentucky sexual orientation and gender identity change prohibiting bill introduced
• Kentucky college admission criminal history check prohibiting bill introduced
• Kentucky college annual financial audits requiring bill introduced
• Kentucky school and college DEI programs and instruction permitting bill introduced

Louisiana

• Louisiana college disciplinary procedures broadening bill introduced
• Louisiana healthcare support animals certifying requirements setting bill introduced
• Louisiana parental consent vaccine requiring bill introduced
• Louisiana college Title IX reporting requiring bill introduced

Massachusetts

• Massachusetts sporting facility AED requirement bill passes committee 12

Minnesota

• Minnesota college education transcript withholding and sexual harassment policies bill introduced
• Minnesota college policies and rights for students with disabilities requiring bill gets press coverage

New Hampshire

• New Hampshire college students, student organizations, and faculty members due process rights bill fails to pass the state house, effectively killing the bill

New Mexico

• New Mexico college affirmative consent policies bill signed into law

New York

• New York college SUNY and CUNY homeless student assistance requiring bill introduced

Wisconsin

• Wisconsin telehealth services by out-of-state mental health care providers bill vetoed
• Wisconsin public college student immunization requirement waiving bill vetoed
• Wisconsin telehealth provision from out-of-state providers under Medicaid codification bill signed into law

Other Updates

• Black and Hispanic college students have a higher risk of not completing their degree programs according to data from Gallup

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.