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 Administration

• Continuing Resolution passed by Congress, signed by President Trump
• Anti-DEI Executive Order injunction lifted by federal appeals court while lower court case proceeds reports the National Law Review

Federal Education

• US Dept. of Education’s Office for Civil Rights sees deep reduction in size reports The New York Times
• US Dept. of Education layoffs subject of lawsuit by several state attorneys general
• US Dept. of Education layoff details demanded by Appropriations Committees Democrats
• The Institute of Education Sciences’ capacity after massive layoffs to the US Ed Dept. focus The Hechinger Report article
• of Pennsylvania has $175 million in funding paused by the Trump Administration over its transgender student-athlete inclusion policies reports Newsweek
• More than 50 colleges being investigated for alleged Title VI violations by the US Dept. of Education after anti-DEI guidance reports Higher Ed Dive
• University of Maine federal funding from the USDA restored after brief suspension
• Universities face financial strain as Trump Administration cuts research funding reports The Hill
• Vice President Vance’s mother-in-law champions DEI as the Trump Administration works to dismantle it reports CBS News
• Hechinger Report creates tracker of President Trump’s higher education impacting actions

Federal Health

• SAMHSA faces deep cuts by the Trump Administration reports The New York Times

Federal Legislation

• College faculty reporting of foreign contracts bill (HR 1999) introduced
• College student organizations recognition denying prohibitions bill, “Students Bill of Rights Act” (HR 2057), reintroduced
• College civil disturbance response policy disclosure bill, “No Tax Dollars for College Encampments Act” (S 982), reintroduced
• College prohibition of foreign donation or contract acceptance bill, “DETERRENT Act” (HR 1048), passes committee and is awaiting a full House vote

State and Local Government

Arizona

• Arizona college campus concealed weapon authorization to carry bill passes the state senate and passes committee in the state house

Arkansas

• Arkansas omnibus education bill with DEI prohibitions for colleges signed into law

Connecticut

• Connecticut college sports by sex designating requiring and gender-affirming care prohibiting for minors bill awaiting committee action
• Connecticut college student sexual assault liability protecting bill amended and has hearing
• Connecticut college staff anti-hate training staff requiring bill amended and has public hearing

District of Columbia

• District of Columbia college sexual misconduct reporting, training, and information dissemination bill passes committee

Georgia

• Georgia prohibiting discrimination based on hairstyles associated with race, color, or national origin bill fails to become law after not meeting the state legislature’s crossover deadline
• Georgia athletic trainer licensing requirements bill amended and passes the state house and awaiting action in the state senate
• Georgia college opioid antagonist and AED supply possession requirement bill fails to become law after not meeting the state legislature’s crossover deadline
• Georgia college student child support coverage extension bill fails to become law after not meeting the state legislature’s crossover deadline
• Georgia college sports participation by sex assigned at birth bill, “Fair and Safe Athletic Opportunities Act,” passes the state senate and awaiting action in the state house
• Georgia school and college DEI programming prohibition bill fails to become law after not meeting the state legislature’s crossover deadline

Illinois

• Illinois sports facilities, including college, school, and youth, sex based discrimination prohibition bill awaiting committee action
• Illinois college campus sexual misconduct climate survey and associated task force bill state house version amended and passes committee, and state senate version has proposed amendments and awaiting committee action
• Illinois college campus sexual assault prevention protocols and policies bill has hearing

Iowa

• Iowa college pregnant and parenting students protections bill state house version fails to pass out of committee, while the state senate version is awaiting full state senate vote after passing committee
• Iowa sports or exhibition venues nuisance action filing guidelines establishing bill passes committee and renumbered as HF 645 and SF 495
• Iowa college diversity, equity, and inclusion course requirement prohibiting bill passes committee
• Iowa colleges immunization exemption and exemption requirements information to parents and students requiring bill passes the state house and now in the state senate
• Iowa college support for student mental health requirements and Mental Health Technical Assistance Center establishing bill introduced
• Iowa community college DEI office prohibiting bill passes committee
• Iowa state entity DEI office prohibiting bill passes committee
• Iowa community college DEI office prohibiting bill passes committee and renumbered as HF 855
• Iowa state entity DEI office prohibiting bill passed committee renumbered

Kentucky

• Kentucky college DEI programming prohibition bill passes the state legislature and delivered to the governor
• Kentucky college students reporting sexual extortion bill signed into law

Maryland

• Maryland college Hunger-Free Campus Grant program funding protocols bill passes the state house and is now in the state senate
• Maryland private college hunger-free campuses bill passes the state senate and now in the state house

Mississippi

• Mississippi college DEI programming prohibiting bill passes the state legislature
• Mississippi college DEI office prohibiting and higher education efficiency task force establishing bill fails to pass the state legislature before the legislative deadline

Montana

• Montana public building restrooms, changing rooms, and sleeping quarters gender assigning based on gender assigned at birth bill passes the state legislature

New Jersey

• New Jersey college military serving students readmittance requiring bill signed into law
• New Jersey graduate student eligibility for childcare assistance program bill state assembly version passes the state assembly and passes committee in the state senate

Oklahoma

• Oklahoma college DEI banning bill gets press attention

Oregon

• Oregon college basic needs grant and student housing task force establishing bill has hearing

Rhode Island

• Rhode Island sports coach hazing responsibility and reporting expanding bill held for study in the state senate, effectively killing the bill

South Dakota

• South Dakota college concealed weapon and self-defense items restrictions prohibiting bill passes the state legislature and is delivered to the governor

Texas

• Texas DEI in government entities offices or hiring practices prohibiting bill has hearing and bill left pending in committee but may be revisited this session

Virginia

• Virginia college food pantry grant program establishing bill passes the state legislature
• Virginia college athletics coach mental health first aid training requiring bill passes the state legislature and sent to the governor
• Virginia college overdose reversal medication administration training for resident assistants bill passes the state legislature and sent to the governor

Other News – Health & Wellness

• College costs are affecting mental health of students finds new study

Other News – Education

• Liberty University facing lawsuit from former staffer on ground of being unfairly fired for reporting alleged sexual reports USA Today
• Community college parenting students project results in positive impact on academic, financial, and mental health success reports the American Council on Education (ACE)

Other News – Education – DEI

• Religious freedom cited as defense to continue teaching DEI reports Inside Higher Ed
• New York State University System’s DEI policies will continue to follow state guidelines as opposed to federal ones reports local news source
• Colleges flag words like ‘women’ to comply with DEI bans reports Times Higher Education
• Wyoming’s anti-DEI law is ‘a tool for censorship,’ according to free speech group PEN America reports Higher Ed Dive

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.