Chapter 497

2004 -- H 8412 SUBSTITUTE A

Enacted 07/07/04

A N A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT

Introduced By: Representatives Murphy, Fox, Menard, Lima, and Watson

Date Introduced: April 07, 2004

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Chapter 42-47 of the General Laws entitled "Commission on State

Government Internships" is hereby repealed in its entirety.

CHAPTER 42-47

Commission on State Government Internships

42-47-1. Creation -- Members. -- There is hereby created a commission on state

government interns to consist of eleven (11) members, four (4) of whom shall be from the house

of representatives to be appointed by the speaker, not more than three (3) from the same political

party, two (2) of whom may be members of the general public in lieu of legislative appointments;

four (4) of whom shall be from the senate to be appointed by the president of the senate, not more

than three (3) from the same political party, two (2) of whom may be members of the general

public in lieu of legislative appointments, and three (3) members of the general public to be

appointed by the governor. Vacancies shall be filled in like manner as the original appointments.

Beginning July 1, 1985, the legislative members of the commission shall be appointed for the

legislative biennium of the house from which they were appointed and until their successors are

duly appointed and qualified, and the remaining members shall serve at the pleasure of the

governor.

42-47-2. Purpose of intern program. -- The purpose of the state government intern

program shall be to enable students and young persons to develop a knowledge of the structure

and procedure of the state government in order to encourage them to take an active part in the

civic life of the state and to further encourage them to enter government service.

42-47-3. Selection of officers. -- Upon organization of the commission, by majority vote,

one of the members shall be chosen as chairperson, another of the members shall be chosen vice-

chairperson, and another of the members shall be chosen as secretary.

42-47-4. Office space -- Place of meeting -- Quorum. -- The director of administration

shall provide adequate space in the state house for the use of the commission; provided, however,

that the commission may conduct hearings and hold meetings elsewhere when doing so will

better serve its purposes. A majority in number of the commission shall be necessary to constitute

a quorum for the transaction of business.

42-47-5. Duties. -- It shall be the duty of the commission to cooperate with an academic

committee on interns consisting of one member from each of the political science departments of

the colleges and universities in the state, in accordance with the recommendations of the heads of

the departments. The academic committee shall select a number of students from the various

colleges and universities in the state as designated by the commission, to serve as state

government interns, and the commission shall make such assignments to governmental agencies,

subject to approval of the governor and the presiding officers of the house of representatives and

senate, as pertains to their respective jurisdictions. The commission shall also establish a program

for the interns to be followed during the course of their internship.

42-47-6. Appropriations -- Clerical, technical, and other assistance. -- The general

assembly shall annually appropriate such sums as it deems sufficient for the payment of necessary

expenses of the commission and for payment of such stipends to the interns as the commission

deems appropriate; and the commission may engage such clerical, technical, and other assistance

as it may deem necessary to accomplish its purposes.

42-47-7. Grants, appropriations, and gifts. -- The commission shall be empowered to

apply for and receive from any federal, state, or local agency, private foundation, or individual,

any grants, appropriations, or gifts in order to carry out the purposes of the intern program.

42-47-8. Summer internships for students with disabilities. -- The commission in

consultation with the governor's commission on disabilities and other agencies servicing people

with disabilities shall establish a summer internship program for students with disabilities. The

student interns shall be placed in state agencies for the purposes of enabling these individuals in

establishing an awareness of the governmental process, and also develop academic skills and

career goal awareness through experiential education.

     SECTION 2. Title 42 of the General Laws entitled "State Affairs and Government" is

hereby amended by adding thereto the following chapter:

CHAPTER 47.1

STATE GOVERNMENT INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

42-47.1-1. Administration of internship program. – The state government internship

program shall be administered by the joint committee on legislative services and all rights,

powers and duties hereinbefore exercised by the commission on state government internships are

hereby transferred to the joint committee on legislative services.

42-47.1-2. Purpose of intern program. – The purpose of the state government intern

program shall be to enable students and young persons to develop a knowledge of the structure

and procedure of the state government in order to encourage them to take an active part in the

civic life of the state and to further encourage them to enter government service.

42-47.1-3. Office space. – The director of administration shall provide adequate space in

the state house for the use of the program; provided, however, that the program may conduct

hearings and hold meetings elsewhere when doing so will better serve its purposes.

42-47.1-4. Grants, appropriations, and gifts. – The program shall be empowered to

apply for and receive from any federal, state, or local agency, private foundation, or individual,

any grants, appropriations, or gifts in order to carry out the purposes of the intern program.

42-47.1-5. Summer internships for students with disabilities. – The program in

consultation with the governor's commission on disabilities and other agencies servicing people

with disabilities shall establish a summer internship program for students with disabilities. The

student interns shall be placed in state agencies for the purposes of enabling these individuals in

establishing an awareness of the governmental process, and also develop academic skills and

career goal awareness through experiential education.

     SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC03166/SUB A/3

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