By Wise H.B. No. 1592 75R2768 CAG-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 S to read as follows: 1-7 SUBCHAPTER S. STATE GOVERNMENT INTERNSHIP PROGRAM 1-8 Sec. 61.851. INTERNSHIP PROGRAM. (a) The board shall 1-9 administer a state government internship program in cooperation 1-10 with general academic teaching institutions and private or 1-11 independent institutions of higher education to support students of 1-12 those institutions who desire to participate in the program. 1-13 (b) The program shall provide internships, as funding 1-14 permits, for students enrolled in government, history, public 1-15 affairs, political science, or other fields involving government or 1-16 public policy to reside in the Austin area for a semester or term 1-17 during which the student works in an office or department of state 1-18 government in connection with the internship. A participating 1-19 institution must require the student to enroll in an academic 1-20 course for credit as a full-time student for the semester or term 1-21 of the internship and to complete a written project determined by 1-22 the institution. 1-23 (c) The board shall seek the cooperation of state offices 1-24 and agencies in connection with the program and shall coordinate 2-1 the placement of internship students during their internships. 2-2 (d) The board shall allocate available internships to 2-3 participating institutions as the board determines appropriate 2-4 considering all relevant factors, including the enrollment of 2-5 eligible students at each institution, the proximity of each 2-6 institution to the city of Austin, and the resources available to 2-7 the institution and its students to provide similar learning 2-8 opportunities. 2-9 (e) The board, in cooperation with the participating 2-10 institution, shall supervise the internship of a student in the 2-11 program. 2-12 Sec. 61.852. STUDENTS ELIGIBLE. (a) Each participating 2-13 institution selects students of the institution to participate in 2-14 the program. 2-15 (b) The board shall establish criteria for institutions to 2-16 use in selecting students for the program. 2-17 Sec. 61.853. FUNDING. (a) The program is funded by 2-18 appropriations made for purposes of the program. 2-19 (b) The board may solicit or accept gifts and grants from 2-20 any source to fund the program. 2-21 (c) If funding permits, the board may pay a student 2-22 participating in the program a reasonable stipend. 2-23 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997. 2-24 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 2-25 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-26 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-27 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 3-1 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.