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 News

• Title IX Rule stoppage during court challenge opposed by Biden Administration 2
• Columbia University settles lawsuit and agrees to increase safety measures amid campus protests reports Axios

Federal Legislation

• College foreign financial gift donation reporting requirements bill, “Defending Education Transparency and Ending Rogue Regimes Engaging in Nefarious Transactions (DETERRENT) Act” (HR 5933) awaiting action in Senate
• Veterans educational assistance administration modification bill (HR 8661) introduced
• Title IX Department of Education Rule Congressional Disapproval joint resolution (H.J. Res 165) introduced

Federal Comment Opportunity

• College transition for gang-involved youth program proposed change open for public comment
• Postsecondary Student Success Grant proposed changes public comments sought

State and Local Government

California

• California Student Housing Revolving Loan Fund Act of 2022 bill passes the state assembly and passes committee in the state senate
• California colleges veteran student housing information requiring bill passes state assembly and passes committee in state senate
• California community college housing insecurity study requiring bill passes the state assembly and passes committee in the state senate

Connecticut

• Connecticut telehealth services bill signed into law

Kansas

• Kansas college DEI statements prohibiting bill fails to pass the legislature before the end of the session

Louisiana

• Louisiana college disciplinary procedures broadening bill signed into law
• Louisiana designation by sex assigned at birth for restrooms, changing rooms, and sleeping quarters requiring bill signed into law
• Louisiana college Title IX reporting requiring bill becomes law without governor’s signature

Massachusetts

• Massachusetts public college tuition freeze bill sent to a study order, effectively killing the bill for remainder of the session

New Jersey

• In New Jersey, college mental health teletherapy program platform expanded for colleges across the state according to local news source
• New Jersey college campus incident report requiring bill awaiting committee action
• New Jersey college military-serving students readmittance requiring bill passes state senate and state assembly committee
• New Jersey college students unemployment benefits permitting bill awaiting committee action
• New Jersey college withdrawal policy requiring bill introduced
• New Jersey public college tuition cap bill introduced
• New Jersey college/school employee background check requiring bill, “Safer Students Act,” introduced
• New Jersey college legacy status consideration in applications prohibiting bill awaiting committee action

New York

• New York public college menstrual products requirement bill state senate version passes state legislature
• New York college voting resources requiring bill, “Student Voter Empowerment Act,” awaiting committee action

Ohio

• Ohio online privacy and sexual exploitation bill, “Braden’s Law,” awaiting committee action
• Ohio college bias and harassment policy requiring bill, “CAMPUS ACT,” awaiting committee action

Funding

• College student basic needs assistance grants available

Other Updates

• College racial disparities highlighted in report from the American Council on Education
• College students’ mental health struggles continue despite accessibility to care according to US News & World Report

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.