S 1569 United States Senate · 119th Congress

Fairness in Higher Education Accreditation Act

This bill prohibits accrediting agencies from considering race, gender, or national origin when setting standards, making decisions, or conducting investigations related to college accreditation. It defines "free inquiry" to require public colleges to follow First Amendment protections and private colleges to uphold their own academic freedom policies, while exempting religious institutions that meet specific criteria (like requiring religious practices or being controlled by a religious organization) from these requirements. The law directly affects colleges seeking accreditation and the agencies that accredit them, ensuring accreditation decisions cannot be based on protected characteristics or religious affiliation for exempt institutions.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
May 2025
Committee Review
Floor Vote
President
Introduced May 1, 2025 Last action May 1, 2025
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Total actions
2
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0
Committee
1
May 1, 2025
Committee
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
upper
May 1, 2025
Introduced
Introduced in Senate
upper
1 primary · 2 co-sponsors

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