The Equal Campus Access Act of 2025 would bar federal higher-education funds from going to any public college or university that denies a religious student organization the same rights, benefits, or privileges it gives other student groups. That includes access to campus facilities and official recognition. The bill applies to public institutions of higher education and ties compliance to funding under the Higher Education Act of 1965.
What This Bill Does
- Adds new Section 124 to Part B of title I of the Higher Education Act of 1965.
- Blocks federal funds to any public institution that denies religious student groups equal rights, benefits, or privileges.
- Specifically protects access to campus facilities and official recognition.
- Applies when a denial is based on a group's religious beliefs, practices, speech, leadership standards, or conduct standards.
Who This Bill Affects
If you are a student, parent, or staff member at a public college or university, this bill would require the institution to treat religious student organizations the same as other student groups for access to facilities and official recognition if it receives funds under the Higher Education Act. That could make it easier for faith-based clubs to reserve space, recruit members, and operate under their own leadership or conduct standards. If you are a campus administrator, it could require policy changes and limit the use of religious-based exclusions in student-organization rules.
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- Religious student organizations They would argue that public universities should not be able to deny access or recognition because a group is religious or has faith-based leadership and conduct rules. The bill gives them a clear federal protection for equal treatment on campus.
- Religious liberty advocates They are likely to say the bill prevents public institutions from using their own policies to exclude religious groups from basic campus participation. In their view, funding should come with a requirement of equal access, not selective treatment.
- Students seeking viewpoint diversity They may argue that campuses should host a wide range of student organizations, including religious ones, and that equal access improves fairness and student choice. The bill would make that principle enforceable through federal funding conditions.
- Public university administrators They may worry the bill would tie the hands of campuses trying to apply consistent student-organization standards, especially where leadership or conduct rules conflict with institutional nondiscrimination policies. The funding penalty could force policy changes across many campuses.
- Some civil-rights and LGBTQ student advocates They may argue that the bill could require schools to recognize groups that exclude people based on religious criteria or require leaders to follow a faith statement, even when that clashes with campus inclusion goals. Their concern is that equal access could come at the expense of other nondiscrimination commitments.
- Higher education compliance officers They may see the bill as creating new legal and administrative risk for public institutions that receive Higher Education Act funds. Colleges would need to audit student-group rules and may face disputes over what counts as equal treatment.
Key Implications
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““None of the funds made available under this Act may be provided to any public institution...””
This creates a funding condition: public colleges and universities that do not comply could lose access to federal money made available under the Higher Education Act. The practical consequence is strong leverage over campus policy, even though the bill does not set a separate penalty system.
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““denies to a religious student organization any right, benefit, or privilege... afforded to other student organizations””
Religious student groups would have a right to treatment on par with other campus organizations. That can affect room reservations, event promotion, registration, and participation in student-activity systems.
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““including full access to the facilities of the institution and official recognition””
The bill specifically names two common flashpoints on campus: access to facilities and official recognition. For real organizations, those are often essential to operating, recruiting, and participating in university life.
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““because of the religious beliefs, practices, speech, leadership standards, or standards of conduct””
The protection is tied to the reason for the denial. This language directly addresses disputes over whether a school may disfavor a group because it requires leaders or members to follow religious rules or statements of faith.
Official Source & Bill Facts
BillBoard checks this page against public Congress.gov metadata, then adds plain-English analysis where available.
- Bill
- HR 5505
- Congress
- 119th Congress
- Official title
- Equal Campus Access Act of 2025
- Policy area
- Education
- Latest action
- Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 18 - 15. (June 25, 2026)
- Last updated
- June 26, 2026
Latest Status
June 25, 2026
Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 18 - 15.
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Ask AI about this billData sourced from api.congress.gov.