Freedom of Association in Higher Education Act of 2026

What it does

This bill establishes freedom of association protections for college students in single-sex social organizations.

Specifically, the bill gives students (or groups of students) enrolled at institutions of higher education (IHEs) the right to form or join social organizations, including single-sex social organizations.

Additionally, the bill prohibits IHEs that participate in federal student aid programs from

• taking adverse actions against single-sex social organizations or students who are members or prospective members of such organizations based solely on the practice of limiting membership to only individuals of one sex;

• taking actions that require or coerce members or prospective members of such organizations to waive protections provided under the bill, including as a condition of enrolling in the IHE; or

• imposing a recruitment restriction on a single-sex social organization that is not imposed upon other student organizations, unless the organization and IHE have entered into a written agreement allowing the restriction.

Summary by the Congressional Research Service, Apr 1, 2025 (Introduced in House). CRS summarizes bills impartially; it does not take positions.