Resolve, to Create the Commission to Study a Legislative Internship Program

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132nd MAINE LEGISLATURE
FIRST REGULAR SESSION-2025
Legislative Document No. 624
H.P. 392 House of Representatives, February 25, 2025
Resolve, to Create the Commission to Study a Legislative Internship
Program
Received by the Clerk of the House on February 20, 2025. Referred to the Committee on
State and Local Government pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to Joint
Rule 401.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative OSHER of Orono.
Cosponsored by Senator TIPPING of Penobscot and
Representatives: RANA of Bangor, SARGENT of York, SATO of Gorham, STROUT of
Harrington, Senator: LIBBY of Cumberland.

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1Sec. 1. Commission established. Resolved: That the Commission to Study a
2 Legislative Internship Program, referred to in this resolve as "the commission," is
3 established.
4Sec. 2. Commission membership. Resolved: That, notwithstanding Joint Rule
5 353, the commission consists of 12 members as follows:
6 1. Three members of the Senate, one of whom sits on the Joint Standing Committee
7 on Education and Cultural Affairs, appointed by the President of the Senate, including
8 members from each of the 2 parties holding the largest number of seats in the Legislature;
9 2. Three members of the House of Representatives, one of whom sits on the Joint
10 Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs, appointed by the Speaker of the
11 House, including members from each of the 2 parties holding the largest number of seats
12 in the Legislature;
13 3. The Executive Director of the Legislative Council, or the executive director's
14 designee;
15 4. One member of the Executive Director of the Legislative Council's staff with
16 responsibility for human resources matters;
17 5. One member with internship coordination experience or a postsecondary education
18 institution faculty member in the field of law, political science, public policy or government
19 from a private postsecondary education institution in the State, appointed by the President
20 of the Senate;
21 6. Two postsecondary education institution students or alumni with internship
22 experience with the Legislature, one appointed by the President of the Senate and one
23 appointed by the Speaker of the House; and
24 7. One member with internship coordination experience or a postsecondary education
25 institution faculty member in the field of law, political science, public policy or government
26 from the Maine Community College System, appointed by the Speaker of the House.
27Sec. 3. Chairs. Resolved: That the Senate member from the Joint Standing
28 Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs is the Senate chair and the House of
29 Representatives member from the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural
30 Affairs is the House chair of the commission.
31Sec. 4. Appointments; convening of commission. Resolved: That all
32 appointments must be made no later than 30 days following the effective date of this
33 resolve. The appointing authorities shall notify the Executive Director of the Legislative
34 Council once all appointments have been completed. After appointment of all members,
35 the chairs shall call and convene the first meeting of the commission. If 30 days or more
36 after the effective date of this resolve a majority of but not all appointments have been
37 made, the chairs may request authority and the Legislative Council may grant authority for
38 the commission to meet and conduct its business.
39Sec. 5. Duties. Resolved: That the commission shall study and develop a structure
40 for an internship program to place a person attending an accredited postsecondary
41 education institution in the State or a resident of the State who is a student at an accredited
42 postsecondary education institution in another state with a Legislator to assist with policy
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43 work immediately before, during and immediately after a legislative session. The
44 commission shall review other internship programs and develop recommendations, policies
45 and procedures for an internship program in the Legislature that include details on:
4 1. The application and selection processes;
5 2. The method for Legislators to opt in to the internship program;
6 3. The method to match interns with Legislators;
7 4. Guidelines to ensure an equitable and inclusive application, selection and matching
8 process;
9 5. The training to be provided to Legislators and interns;
10 6. The process to evaluate interns;
11 7. The process for interns to evaluate the internship program;
12 8. The appropriate rate of pay;
13 9. The cost to run the internship program, including necessary staff to administer the
14 internship program;
15 10. The physical space and infrastructure needs for the internship program;
16 11. Security concerns;
17 12. The availability of and required procedure for accepting private funds for the
18 internship program; and
19 13. Any other matters the commission considers relevant.
20Sec. 6. Staff assistance. Resolved: That the Legislative Council shall provide
21 necessary staffing services to the commission, except that Legislative Council staff support
22 is not authorized when the Legislature is in regular or special session.
23Sec. 7. Report. Resolved: That, notwithstanding Joint Rule 353, no later than
24 February 1, 2026, the commission shall submit a report to the Legislative Council that
25 includes its findings and recommendations for an internship program, including a pilot
26 internship program starting in the First Regular Session of the 133rd Legislature.
27SUMMARY
28 This resolve creates the Commission to Study a Legislative Internship Program. The
29 commission has 12 members, including a Senate member and a member of the House of
30 Representatives who sit on the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs
31 and who serve as cochairs of the commission. The commission is required to study and
32 develop a structure for an internship program matching postsecondary education institution
33 students with members of the Legislature to assist members of the Legislature with the
34 policy work of the Legislature. The commission is required to submit a report to the
35 Legislative Council no later than February 1, 2026 setting out recommendations for an
36 internship program, including a pilot internship program starting in the First Regular
37 Session of the 133rd Legislature.
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