Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman TENNILLE R. MCCOY
District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)
Assemblyman JOHN V. AZZARITI JR., M.D.
District 39 (Bergen)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblywomen Speight, Quijano, Reynolds-Jackson, Dunn, Bagolie, Peterpaul, Donlon, Brennan, Assemblyman Sampson, Assemblywomen Drulis, Morales and Haider
SYNOPSIS
Establishes legislative internship program.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As amended by the General Assembly on June 30, 2026.
An Act establishing a legislative internship program and supplementing Title 52 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. Members of the Legislature shall obtain the approval of the presiding officer of the member's House prior to employing an intern through the legislative internship program. Once approved by the presiding officer of the member’s House, the member shall employ the intern.
b. The legislative internship program shall be open to 1[any full-time or part-time student currently attending any accredited institution of higher education. The program shall be open to students in undergraduate level and graduate level programs, with the exception of juris doctorate and PhD programs] individuals currently attending an accredited institution of higher education, with the exception of juris doctor (JD) and doctor of philosophy (PhD) programs1.
c. Students who are residents of New Jersey, or who are attending institutions of higher education located within New Jersey, shall be granted priority over other applicants to the program.
d. Participants shall be required to complete one work period with a district office of a legislator. The work period shall be established by each legislator prior to the employment of an intern.
e. When a participant completes the program requirement, the legislator may elect to retain the participant for an additional work period if the participant agrees to continue their internship.
f. The Legislature, 1in coordination1 with 1[the assistance of]1 the Department of Labor and Workforce Development, 1[shall annually apply for and use any federal grant funds or other federal assistance which may be available to be used for the legislative internship program established pursuant to this section including, but not limited to, the federal “On-the-Job Training” program funded by the federal “Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act,” (29 U.S.C. s.3101 et seq.)] may partner with participating entities authorized by the department to administer internship programs, including but not limited to local workforce development boards and summer youth work experience program grantees, to support eligible participants in the legislative internship program through available federal or State workforce development funding, subject to the availability of funds and consistent with all applicable federal and State laws, regulations, eligibility requirements, and allowable requirements.
g. Eligibility determinations for participants receiving services or funding through a federal or State workforce development program shall be made by the applicable participating entity.
h. Legislative offices participating in the program shall serve as approved internship worksites and shall comply with any applicable federal and State requirements governing workforce development activities and work-based learning programs.
i. No federal workforce development funds utilized pursuant to this section shall be used for political activity, campaign activity, or any activity prohibited under applicable federal or State law1.
2. There is hereby appropriated from the State General Fund to the New Jersey Legislature such funds as shall be necessary for the purposes of the legislative internship program established pursuant to section 1 of this act, P.L. , c. (C. )(pending before the Legislature as this bill).
3. This act shall take effect immediately.