BILL REQ. #:  S-3282.4 

Read first time 01/16/12.   Referred to Committee on Government Operations, Tribal Relations & Elections.

     AN ACT Relating to the registration of international student visitor exchange programs; and amending RCW 19.166.010, 19.166.040, 19.166.050, 19.166.070, and 19.166.080.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1   RCW 19.166.010 and 1991 c 128 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     It is the intent of the legislature to:
     (1) Promote the health, safety, and welfare of international student exchange visitors in Washington in accordance with uniform national standards;
     (2) Promote quality education and living experiences for international student exchange visitors living in Washington;
     (3) Promote international awareness among Washington residents, by encouraging Washington residents to interact with international student exchange visitors;
     (4) Encourage public confidence in international student exchange visitor placement organizations operating in Washington;
     (5) Encourage ((and assist with)) compliance with ((United States information)) appropriate federal agency regulations and nationally established standards as outlined by the council on standards for international educational travel or its successor organization; and
     (6) Promote the existence and quality of international student visitor exchange programs operating in Washington.

Sec. 2   RCW 19.166.040 and 1997 c 58 s 854 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) An application for registration as an international student exchange visitor placement organization shall be submitted in the form prescribed by the secretary of state. The application shall include:
     (a) Evidence that the organization meets the standards established by the secretary of state under RCW 19.166.050;
     (b) The name, address, and telephone number of the organization, its chief executive officer, and the person within the organization who has primary responsibility for supervising placements within the state;
     (c) The organization's unified business identification number, if any;
     (d) The organization's ((United States Information Agency)) federal agency number, if any;
     (e) Evidence of council on standards for international educational travel listing, if any;
     (f) Whether the organization is exempt from federal income tax; ((and))
     (g) A list of the organization's placements in Washington for the previous academic year including the number of students placed, their home countries, the school districts in which they were placed, and the length of their placements; and
     (h) A copy of the informational document for a student as required under RCW 19.166.070.
     (2) The application shall be signed by the chief executive officer of the organization and the person within the organization who has primary responsibility for supervising placements within Washington. If the secretary of state determines that the application is complete, the secretary of state shall file the application and the applicant is registered.
     (3) International student exchange visitor placement organizations that have registered shall inform the secretary of state of any changes in the information required under subsection (1) of this section within thirty days of the change.
     (4) Registration shall be renewed annually as established by rule by the office of the secretary of state.
     (((5) The office of the secretary of state shall immediately suspend the license or certificate of a person who has been certified pursuant to RCW 74.20A.320 by the department of social and health services as a person who is not in compliance with a support order or a residential or visitation order. If the person has continued to meet all other requirements for reinstatement during the suspension, reissuance of the license or certificate shall be automatic upon the office of the secretary of state's receipt of a release issued by the department of social and health services stating that the licensee is in compliance with the order.))

Sec. 3   RCW 19.166.050 and 1991 c 128 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:
     The secretary of state shall adopt standards for international student exchange visitor placement organizations. In adopting the standards, the secretary of state shall strive to adopt standards established by the ((United States Information Agency)) appropriate federal agency and the council on standards for international educational travel and strive to achieve uniformity with national standards. The secretary of state may incorporate standards established by the ((United States Information Agency)) appropriate federal agency or the council on standards for international educational travel by reference and may accept an organization's designation by the ((United States Information Agency)) appropriate federal agency or acceptance for listing by the council on standards for international educational travel as evidence of compliance with such standards.

Sec. 4   RCW 19.166.070 and 1991 c 128 s 7 are each amended to read as follows:
     International student exchange organizations that have agreed to provide services to place students in the state shall provide an informational document, in English, to each student, host family, and superintendent of the school district in which the student is being placed. The document shall be provided before placement and shall include the following:
     (1) An explanation of the services to be performed by the organization for the student, host family, and school district;
     (2) A summary of this chapter prepared by the secretary of state;
     (3) Telephone numbers that the student, host family, and school district may call for assistance. The telephone numbers shall include, at minimum, an in-state telephone number for the organization, and the telephone numbers of the organization's national headquarters, if any, the ((United States Information Agency)) appropriate federal agency, and the office of the secretary of state.

Sec. 5   RCW 19.166.080 and 1991 c 128 s 8 are each amended to read as follows:
     The secretary of state may, upon receipt of a complaint regarding an international student exchange organization, report the matter to the organization involved, the ((United States Information Agency)) appropriate federal agency, or the council on standards for international ((education)) educational travel, as he or she deems appropriate. The secretary of state may, upon receipt of a complaint in which the secretary of state suspects criminal activity, report the matter to the appropriate local law enforcement agency, in addition to the organization involved or the council on standards for international educational travel, as the secretary of state deems appropriate.