By Alonzo                                             H.B. No. 2833
       74R6626 JSA-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to a state government internship program for certain
    1-3  students in certain fields of higher education.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding
    1-6  Subchapter Q to read as follows:
    1-7          SUBCHAPTER Q.  STATE GOVERNMENT INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
    1-8        Sec. 61.801.  INTERNSHIP PROGRAM.  (a)  The board shall
    1-9  administer a state government internship program in cooperation
   1-10  with general academic teaching institutions to support students of
   1-11  those institutions who desire to participate in the program.
   1-12        (b)  The program shall provide internships, as funding
   1-13  permits, for students enrolled in government, history, public
   1-14  affairs, political science, or other fields involving government or
   1-15  public policy to reside in the Austin area for a semester or term
   1-16  during which the student works in an office or department of state
   1-17  government in connection with the internship.  A participating
   1-18  institution must require the student to enroll in an academic
   1-19  course for credit as a full-time student for the semester or term
   1-20  of the internship.
   1-21        (c)  The board shall seek the cooperation of state offices
   1-22  and agencies in connection with the program and shall coordinate
   1-23  the placement of internship students during their internships.
   1-24        (d)  The board shall allocate available internships to
    2-1  participating institutions as the board determines appropriate
    2-2  considering all relevant factors, including the enrollment of
    2-3  eligible students at each institution, the proximity of each
    2-4  institution to the city of Austin, and the resources available to
    2-5  the institution and its students to provide similar learning
    2-6  opportunities.
    2-7        Sec. 61.802.  STUDENTS ELIGIBLE.  (a)  Each participating
    2-8  institution selects students of the institution to participate in
    2-9  the program.
   2-10        (b)  The board shall establish criteria for institutions to
   2-11  use in selecting students for the program.  The criteria shall
   2-12  ensure that students participating in the program:
   2-13              (1)  represent groups that have been historically
   2-14  underrepresented in positions of government leadership or
   2-15  management; and
   2-16              (2)  demonstrate financial need as defined by the
   2-17  board.
   2-18        Sec. 61.803.  FUNDING.  (a)  The program is funded by
   2-19  appropriations made for purposes of the program.
   2-20        (b)  The board may solicit or accept gifts and grants from
   2-21  any source to fund the program.
   2-22        SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1995.
   2-23        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
   2-24  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   2-25  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   2-26  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   2-27  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.