Jim Banks (R-IN)
Freedom of Association in Higher Education Act of 2025
A Republican bill with 1 Democratic cosponsor · See all 5 cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Freedom of Association in Higher Education Act of 2025 seeks to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965. This bill aims to protect the rights of students to join and participate in single-sex social organizations. It prohibits institutions of higher education from taking adverse actions against students or organizations based solely on membership practices that limit membership to one sex. The Act also prevents institutions from coercing students to waive these protections as a condition of enrollment. Additionally, it establishes rules to ensure students in these organizations are treated without bias compared to other students.
Yes· 3 of 4
- Scored +5
Would students be better off under this?
The bill directly expands the freedom of association and participation rights for college students.
- Scored +4
Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this?
College-aged students benefit from expanded freedom of association protections.
- Scored +3
Would men be better off under this?
The bill protects rights for organizations that may be primarily male.
The opposite
- Scored -3
Does this narrow the gap between how men and women are treated?
The bill protects single-sex organizations, which may be viewed as rolling back progress toward gender-neutral social structures in education.
- Scored -2
Would women be better off under this?
The protection of single-sex organizations may limit efforts to promote gender equality and inclusivity on campus.
- Scored -2
Would LGBTQ people be better off under this?
The bill focuses on sex-based social organizations, which may conflict with broader diversity and inclusion goals.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Protection of Student Rights: Students will be able to form or apply to join any recognized or unrecognized social organization, including single-s-ex social organizations, and participate once selected (Section 3, subsection a).
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Prevention of Unfair Treatment: The bill protects students and single-sex social organizations from adverse actions taken by an institution of higher education based solely on the practice of limiting membership to one sex (Section 2, subsection a-1; Section 3, subsection b-2).
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Protection from Coercion: Institutions are prohibited from requiring or coercing a student to waive their freedom of association protections as a condition of enrolling in the institution (Section 3, subsection b-1).
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Fairness in Recruitment: The bill prevents institutions from imposing recruitment restrictions on recognized single-sex social organizations that are not imposed on other student organizations, unless a written agreement exists (Section 3, subsection b-3).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Limits on Institutional Disciplinary Action: An institution is still permitted to take adverse action against a student who joins a social organization for reasons including academic or nonacademic misconduct, or if the organization's purpose poses a clear harm to students or employees (Section 3, subsection c-2).
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No Guarantee of Recognition: The bill does not require an institution of higher education to officially recognize a social organization, including a single-sex social organization (Section 3, subsection c-1).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would students be better off under this? — The bill directly expands the freedom of association and participation rights for college students. Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this? — College-aged students benefit from expanded freedom of association protections. Would men be better off under this? — The bill protects rights for organizations that may be primarily male. Would LGBTQ people be better off under this? — The bill focuses on sex-based social organizations, which may conflict with broader diversity and inclusion goals. Would women be better off under this? — The protection of single-sex organizations may limit efforts to promote gender equality and inclusivity on campus.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this give the federal government more power? — The bill uses federal authority to amend the Higher Education Act to mandate certain protections.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this narrow the gap between how men and women are treated? — The bill protects single-sex organizations, which may be viewed as rolling back progress toward gender-neutral social structures in education.
- 6/9/2026
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- 5/11/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 6/26/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 4/1/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Shelley CapitoRepublican · West Virginia
Lindsey GrahamRepublican · South Carolina
Ruben GallegoDemocrat · Arizona
Ashley MoodyRepublican · Florida
Rick ScottRepublican · Florida