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 Education

• State of American education hearing held by the House Education and Workforce Committee
• College federal Pell Grant program projected $2.7 billion deficit reports Higher Ed Dive
• Research universities will lose billions in funding under Trump Administration’s cuts reports The Chronicle of Higher Education
• American Association of University Professors (AAUP) releases statement with recommendations on preparing for the Trump Administration’s policy agenda for higher education

Federal Civil Rights

• Athlete participation based on sex assigned at birth Executive Order (EO 14201) released
• K-12 schools and colleges anti-semitism multiple federal agency task force announced by the US Department of Justice
• Five universities facing Title VI investigations for anti-semitic harassment after new presidential Executive Order against anti-semitism reports the US Department of Education
• Student privacy law and labor law conflict recognized by federal court reports The National Law Review
• College race-based funding for minority-serving institutions threats from conservatives subject of article from The Chronicle of Higher Education

Federal Legislation

• College with ideological oath federal funding prohibiting bill (HR 927) reintroduced
• US Secretary of Education regulatory authority limiting bill (HR 937) introduced
• College foreign entity contract disclosure and restrictions bill, “No Contracts for Foreign Adversaries Act” (HR 938), introduced
• K-12 educational expenses 529 savings account use expansion bill, “Student Empowerment Act” (HR 939/S 152), introduced
• College endowment tax increasing bill, “Higher Education Accountability Tax (HEAT) Act” (HR 1006), introduced
• Federally funded public space facility use based on sex assigned at birth bill, “Stop the Invasion of Women’s Spaces Act” (HR 1017) reintroduced
• College disclosure of foreign donations and contracts bill (HR 1018) introduced
• Olympic and amateur sports participation by sex assigned at birth bill, “Protection of Women in Olympic and Amateur Sports Act” (HR 1028), reintroduced
• College antisemitism monitor provision bill, “College Oversight and Legal Updates Mandating Bias Investigations and Accountability (COLUMBIA) Act” (HR 1033), reintroduced
• College prohibition of foreign donation or contract acceptance bill (HR 1048) introduced
• College tuition fee schedule informing requiring bill, “Truth in Tuition Act” (HR 1090), reintroduced
• College excise tax rate increasing bill, “Endowment Accountability Act” (HR 1128), introduced
• FAFSA exemptions for a family farm or small business bill, the “Family Farm and Small Business
• Exemption Act” (HR 1131), reintroduced
• College work-study program expansion for community service and K-12 out-of-school time employment bill, “Students Helping Young Students Act” (S 377), reintroduced

Other Federal News

• Federal deregulation procedures Executive Order (EO 14192) released

State and Local Government

• Higher education state funding grows by 4.3% despite inflation concerns reports Higher Ed Dive

Florida

• Florida college and school immigration enforcement bill state senate version passes the state legislature during special session

Missouri

• Missouri K-12 school and college sports participation by sex assigned at birth bill has hearing

New Hampshire

• New Hampshire child immunization objection by parents or legal guardians documentation requirement changing bill introduced

New Mexico

• New Mexico college anti-hazing policy establishment bill amended and passes subcommittee

Oregon

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

Texas

• Texas college DEI prohibition exemption for private foundation funding bill introduced
• Texas college student distinctions prohibiting bill introduced

Utah

• Utah college housing based on sex assigned at birth bill being sent to governor after passing the state legislature

Virginia

• Virginia retail tobacco and hemp products smoking by persons under 21 bill passes the state house and now in the state senate

Wyoming

• Wyoming women’s privacy protection in public and educational facilities bill passes the state house and now in the state senate

Education – DEI

• DEI program dismantling efforts increased by additional Executive Orders from the Trump Administration reports The Hill
• DEI instruction and admissions changes at US military academies following memo from Defense Secretary Hegseth and Executive Order by Trump Administration reports Higher Ed Dive
• College DEI restrictions prompt academic groups to sue Trump Administration reports Higher Ed Dive
• Colorado colleges continue DEI efforts despite President Trump’s Executive Orders reports local news
• of North Carolina suspends DEI graduation requirements following E.O. reports The Hill
• DEI program leaders’ efforts to counter the Trump Administration restrictions subject of Hill article

Other News – Education

• Race-blind college admission trends subject of article from The Atlantic

Other News – Activities

• Transgender female college student-athlete participation policy modified by the NCAA
• College student-athlete gambling and sports-betting behaviors subject of new report from the NCAA

Other News – Civil Rights

• George Mason University settles free speech lawsuit with two students reports The College Fix

Other News – Health & Wellness

• College students’ vaccine perception and awareness of resources study receives press attention from Inside Higher Ed

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.