A 2453 — Establishes legislative internship program.

A2453 1R [First Reprint] ASSEMBLY, No.

2453 STATE OF NEW JERSEY 222nd LEGISLATURE   PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION     Sponsored by:

Assemblywomen Speight, Quijano, Reynolds-Jackson, Dunn, Bagolie, PeterpaulPeterpaul, Donlon, Brennan, Assemblyman Sampson, Assemblywomen Drulis, Morales and DonlonHaider         SYNOPSIS      Establishes legislative internship program.

  CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT      IntroducedAs Pendingamended Technicalby Reviewthe byGeneral LegislativeAssembly Counsel.on June 30, 2026.

            1.   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.   b.   The legislative internship program shall be open to any1[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.programs] individuals currently attending an accredited institution of higher education, with the exception of juris doctor (JD) and doctor of philosophy (PhD) programs1.

          c.    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.   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.    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.    f.    The Legislature, 1in coordination1 with the1[the assistance ofof]1 the Department of Labor and Workforce Development, shall1[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.).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.

    STATEMENT         This bill establishes a legislative internship program to allow members of the Legislature to employ interns, with the approval of the presiding officer of the member's House.

      The bill requires the legislative internship program to be open to any full-time or part-time student currently attending any accredited institution of higher education in undergraduate level and graduate level programs, with the exception of juris doctorate and PhD programs.

      The bill also requires students who are residents of New Jersey, or who are attending institutions of higher education located within New Jersey, to be granted priority over other applicants to the program.

      Additionally, the bill requires participants to complete one work period with a district office of a legislator.  The work period will be established by each legislator prior to employing an intern.

      This bill also allows the legislator to elect to retain the participant for an additional work period if the participant agrees to continue their internship after completion of the program requirement.

      The bill, also requires the Legislature, with the assistance of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development, to annually apply for and use any federal grant funds or other federal assistance which may be available including, but not limited to, the federal “On-the-Job Training” program funded by the federal “Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.”