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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the creation of the Texas Legislative Fellows Program |
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for certain students enrolled in component institutions of The |
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University of Texas System. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 65, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 65.48 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 65.48. TEXAS LEGISLATIVE FELLOWS PROGRAM. (a) The |
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board shall develop and establish the Texas Legislative Fellows |
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Program under which students enrolled in component institutions of |
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the system are selected to perform internships for members of the |
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Texas Legislature during the Spring semester of odd-numbered years. |
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(b) Under the program, during the fall semester of each |
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even-numbered year, the chancellor of the system shall select 20 |
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students enrolled in component institutions of the system to |
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participate in the program during the following semester. At least |
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one student must be selected from each component general academic |
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teaching institution. |
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(c) The board shall establish: |
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(1) an application process and eligibility |
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requirements for the selection of students for participation in the |
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program; and |
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(2) a process for matching student participants with |
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offices of members of the legislature who agree to employ one or |
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more of the students under the program. |
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(d) The program shall be designed to require that each |
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student who participates in the program: |
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(1) work at least the following number of hours for a |
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member of the legislature during the regular legislative session: |
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(A) 20 hours per week for the first six weeks; |
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(B) 30 hours per week for weeks seven through 10; |
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and |
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(C) 40 hours per week after week 10; and |
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(2) during the internship, complete three academic |
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courses relating to state government and legislative issues |
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approved by the board for purposes of this section. |
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(e) A student who successfully completes the student's |
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internship under the program is entitled to receive: |
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(1) a stipend of $10,000, payable in monthly |
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installments during the student's internship; and |
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(2) six hours of independent study course credit |
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toward the student's degree at the component institution of the |
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system in which the student is enrolled. |
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(f) The board shall appoint a faculty member of a component |
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institution of the system to serve as the director of the program. |
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The director shall supervise student participants in the program |
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and shall teach the courses required by Subsection (d)(2). |
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(g) The stipend for an intern shall be paid from the |
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operating account of the member of the legislature to whom the |
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intern is assigned. The applicable house of the legislature shall |
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supplement the member's operating account as necessary to provide |
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sufficient funding for the stipend. Each house shall contribute to |
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the salary of the program director from the general fund of the |
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applicable house. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |