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.”

Government Updates

Federal Education

• Title IX interpretation topic of lawsuit by 20 states against US Department of Education
• College hunger topic of roundtable announced by US House of Representatives Rules Committee Chair

State and Local Government

California

• The California Community Colleges system received over 65,000 fake applications for financial applications
• California college athlete endorsement name, image, and likeness (NIL) compensation bill becomes law

Illinois

• Illinois college and school ID hotlines bill, the “Beyond Charity Law,” signed into law
• Illinois college students with disabilities support workers allowing bill signed into law
• Illinois Commission on Equitable Public University Funding creating bill signed into law

New Jersey

• New Jersey hazing policy bill signed into law

Oregon

• Portland, OR City Council scheduled to vote on ending trade and travel with Texas after Texas abortion restrictions

Texas

• Texas interscholastic athletic competition based on biological sex bill fails to pass the legislature before the 2nd special session ends
• Texas Governor orders a third special legislative session for COVID-19 vaccine mandates and limitation of transgender athletes

Other Updates

• COVID-19 updates
• College athletes profiting off of Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) laws more than expected according to Yahoo News
• College sexual assault constructive conversations is topic of newly released book

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.