BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 1009

By: Huffman

Higher Education

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

When foreign students enrolled in Texas universities, and who are in the United States on a student visa, drop out or withdraw from institutions of higher education, those institutions are not required to immediately notify the federal Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).

Federal law and regulations require institutions to report to SEVIS a change in a student's personal information or academic status within 21 days.

S.B. 1009 requires public institutions of higher education to notify SEVIS immediately if a student attending on a student visa withdraws from the institution or withdraws from all courses in which the student is enrolled. More timely reporting will help ensure that the SEVIS reporting system is more accurate and complete.

S.B. 1009 amends current law relating to requiring public institutions of higher education to notify the federal Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) regarding the withdrawal or nonattendance of certain foreign students.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter Z, Chapter 51, Education Code, by adding Section 51.9091, as follows:

Sec. 51.9091. REQUIRED NOTIFICATION OF FEDERAL STUDENT AND EXCHANGE VISITOR INFORMATION SYSTEM (SEVIS) REGARDING WITHDRAWAL OR NONATTENDANCE OF CERTAIN FOREIGN STUDENTS. Requires a public institution of higher education that is certified by the United States secretary of homeland security to enroll a foreign student admitted into the United States under a nonimmigrant F or M visa to promptly notify the federal Student Exchange and Visitor Information System (SEVIS) or a successor program if:

(1) a student enrolled under an F or M visa withdraws from the institution or withdraws from all courses in which the student is enrolled; or

(2) the institution dismisses a student enrolled under an F or M visa for nonattendance or takes any other official administrative action in regard to the student as a result of the student's nonattendance.

SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2011

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2011.