Report Title:

University of Hawaii; Legislative Interns; Appropriation

Description:

Appropriates funds to increase stipends to $3,000 for legislative interns under the University of Hawaii College of Social Sciences Capitol internship program. Applies retroactively to interns participating in the 2005 legislative session. (HB972 HD1)

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

972

TWENTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2005

H.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

making an appropriation for the university of hawaii.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that a democratic form of governance works best when citizens participate in the political process. Greater participation usually results in a populace that is better informed and more educated with respect to the public policies that affect the people of Hawaii.

To expose students who are interested in politics and public policy to the legislative process in Hawaii, the University of Hawaii college of social sciences has established a capitol internship program. The internship program allows participating students to work as legislative interns in various offices throughout the capitol. While gaining on-the-job training and knowledge of the legislative process, legislative interns also earn a small stipend.

However, the legislature finds that the current stipend does not adequately reflect the hard work and productivity of the legislative interns. Raising the stipend to $3,000 would enable the interns to earn a wage close to the state's minimum wage and would provide more equitable compensation for the quantity and quality of work that they contribute.

The purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds to increase stipends to $3,000 for legislative interns under the University of Hawaii college of social sciences capitol internship program. In addition, this Act applies the increase in stipends retroactively to legislative interns working in the regular session of 2005.

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2005-2006 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2006-2007 to increase stipends to $3,000 for legislative interns under the University of Hawaii college of social sciences capitol internship program.

The sums appropriated shall be expended by the University of Hawaii for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2050; provided that the increase in stipends established in section 2

shall apply retroactively to legislative interns participating in the capitol internship program in the regular session of 2005.